Portugal secured a crucial 3-2 comeback victory over Hungary in Budapest, putting them in the driver’s seat of their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying group. The win extends their push towards a seventh consecutive World Cup appearance.
Despite a dominant start, Portugal found themselves trailing after 20 minutes when Barnabas Varga headed in a cross from Zsolt Nagy. The visitors’ luck seemed to be against them, with Hungarian goalkeeper Balazs Toth making a spectacular save from Cristiano Ronaldo. However, a fortunate deflection eventually led to a goal, with Bernardo Silva striking a powerful shot into the top corner to level the score just before halftime.
The second half began with Portugal maintaining pressure, and it paid off in the 58th minute. A handball in the box led to a penalty, which Ronaldo confidently converted, making him the all-time leading goal scorer in World Cup qualifiers.
Hungary, however, was not finished. They quickly equalized when Varga scored his second of the night with a header. But the parity was short-lived. Less than two minutes later, Joao Cancelo secured the winning goal for Portugal with a sweeping shot from the edge of the area.
This victory is a significant boost for Portugal, who are now well on their way to qualifying. For Hungary, who have just one point from two games, their hopes of direct qualification look slim, though they will remain confident in their chances for a playoff spot.
