Szoboszlai Leads Hungary to Comeback Victory Amid Camera Scare
Dominik Szoboszlai turned a routine friendly into a night of drama in Debrecen – and not just with the ball at his feet.
Hungary’s 3-1 win over Kazakhstan at the Nagyerdei Stadion on Tuesday was briefly overshadowed by a frightening stadium malfunction, when a TV camera plunged from the roof onto the pitch, narrowly avoiding what could have been a serious accident.
Camera crash shocks Nagyerdei Stadion
Midway through the first half, with Hungary still chasing the game, attention suddenly shifted away from the football. A camera suspended high above the pitch began to smoke after a fire damaged the cable holding it, according to Hungarian reports.
In the 26th minute it gave way.
The heavy rig dropped from around 20 metres, crashing into the turf just a couple of metres from a pitchside cameraman. The impact sent debris scattering and stunned players on both sides, who immediately signalled for help.
Remarkably, nobody was injured. Match officials halted play while staff removed the wreckage and checked the area. Once the danger had been cleared and nerves had settled, the game resumed.
Szoboszlai takes control
Kazakhstan had already struck first, silencing the home crowd with a ninth-minute opener. Hungary laboured for the rest of the half, lacking rhythm and precision, but their captain dragged them back into it after the interval.
Szoboszlai, wearing the armband and clearly intent on imposing himself, levelled early in the second half. From there, the Liverpool midfielder dictated the tempo, driving his team higher up the pitch and demanding the ball at every opportunity.
The pressure told. Szoboszlai turned provider as Hungary completed the turnaround, slipping in Andras Schäfer to put the hosts in front. The goal flipped the mood in Debrecen: anxiety replaced by authority, the earlier scare now just part of a chaotic backdrop to a game Hungary had seized.
Bournemouth’s Alex Tóth added the final flourish in stoppage time, finishing clinically to seal a 3-1 victory and give the scoreline the comfort Hungary’s second-half control deserved.
Liverpool’s Pecsi steps onto senior stage
Szoboszlai was not the only Liverpool player to walk away with a personal milestone.
Armin Pecsi, the Reds’ reserve goalkeeper, made his senior international debut after coming on just after the hour mark. The 21-year-old, who joined Liverpool last summer and is still waiting for a first-team appearance at Anfield, finally has a full cap to his name.
Pecsi has been on the fringes of Liverpool’s matchday squads, even standing by for a possible Premier League bow against Crystal Palace on April 25 when Freedie Woodman needed lengthy treatment and both Alisson Becker and Giorgi Mamardashvili were out injured. On this night, he got his taste of the international stage instead, helping Hungary see out the win without late drama at his end.
Milos Kerkez, another name familiar to Premier League followers, remained unused, watching as his team-mates combined a scare from the skies with a composed recovery on the ground.
Hungary, Szoboszlai, Pecsi and Kerkez will be watching this month’s FIFA World Cup from afar after failing to qualify. On the evidence of Debrecen, though, the core of their next campaign is already taking shape – and their captain, once again, looks ready to carry the weight.
