Finland require victory against Hungary
Monday, September 13, 2010
Article summary
Having started their qualifying campaign with successive defeats, Finland welcome Hungary to Helsinki in desperate need of points to stay in touch with the Group E pacesetters.
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Article body
Hungary have secured some substantial victories in Helsinki in years gone by but they will travel to face UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying Group E rivals Finland still looking for a first competitive win in their opponents' capital.
Match background
• Finland's record in 11 games against Hungary reads W1 D2 L8 (W1 D1 L4 at home).
• The nations first met in a friendly in Helsinki on 13 July 1922, when the visitors emerged 5-1 winners. That set the tone for the next half a century of friendly fixtures, with Hungary beating Finland 3-1 (1923) and 8-0 (1951) in Budapest, and registering 3-0 (1943), 6-1 (1952) and 9-1 (1955) successes in Helsinki.
• In terms of competitive encounters, however, the sides have been much more evenly matched. Indeed, Finland beat Hungary 2-1 when they first met in formal circumstances, taking the points in a 20 September 1978 UEFA European Championship qualifier in Helsinki.
• Hungary won the return encounter 3-1 and then prevailed 1-0 at home when the teams met again in 1998 FIFA World Cup qualifying. They were nonetheless held to a 1-1 draw in the corresponding fixture in Helsinki on 11 October 1997, Vilmos Sebők replying in added time after Antti Sumiala had put the hosts ahead.
• The section rivals also contested a draw when they last crossed paths, playing out a goalless stalemate in Budapest on 25 April 2001.
