Csoboth's late strike sends Scotland out of the Euros

The game was marred by a serious injury suffered by Barnabas Varga, who was taken to hospital following a nasty collision.

GOING HOME: Scotland's John McGinn and Andrew Robertson react after exiting the tournament. Photo credit: Martin Rickett/PA Wire.

SCOTLAND 0

HUNGARY 1 (Csoboth 90+10)

Scotland are out of Euro 2024, cut down in the cruellest possible way when Hungary substitute Kevin Csoboth scored the game’s only goal in the tenth minute of stoppage time.

For so long, it looked a goalless draw was going to be enough to keep the Scots in with a chance of staying on, as one of four best-placed third teams.

But everything changed when Hungary broke quickly after defending a corner. Martin Adam fed the ball to Csoboth, who funnelled it out to Roland Sallai on the right.

The Hungarian forward got to the byline, cut the ball back into the penalty area, and Csoboth arrived at the perfect time to sweep a shot past Angus Gunn from 12 yards.

It was a bitter blow for the Scots, but it has to be said they were made to pay for their lack of ambition throughout, with Clarke’s shot-shy side failing to trouble keeper Peter Gulacsi for most of the game.

There was one half-hearted penalty appeal when substitute Stuart Armstrong went down after a tangle of limbs with Willi Orban, but in truth Clarke cannot complain that his side were the victims of injustice.

It was simply that they did not do themselves justice on a night when Stuttgart was awash with the sounds and colours of the Tartan Army, who have descended on Germany in their tens of thousands.

Scotland have still not reached the knockout stage of a major competition, and their fans will see this as another excellent opportunity missed.

It was baffling to see them play with such caution against a Hungary side who had looked good in qualifying but had lost both previous games.

Hungary's Barnabas Varga (bottom) is assisted by his team mates and medical staff after colliding with Scotland goalkeeper Angus Gunn. Photo credit: Bradley Collyer/PA Wire.

Clarke’s side started brightly enough and had plenty of possession but never threatened Gulacsi in the Hungary goal. The manager had stuck with Che Adams in attack, leaving Shankland on the substitute’s bench for over an hour, and the Southampton man ploughed a lone furrow with no reward.

When he skied an ambitious shot over the bar from outside the penalty area early in the second half, it was Scotland’s first attempt on goal, despite having over 60% possession in the opening hour.

Indeed it was the only the second time a team had gone 45 minutes without an attempt on goal, and that was Scotland too, in their opening 5-1 defeat by Germany.

Clarke’s side were playing with the handbrake on, without doubt, mindful that avoiding defeat might be enough to qualify as one of the four best third-placed teams from the group stages.

Hungary were in a different position, though, knowing nothing less than victory would give them a chance of third place. Marco Rossi’s side certainly had more attacking intent, although their aim was not much truer than Scotland’s when they got into good positions.

Dominik Szoboszlai, the Liverpool midfielder, had several opportunities but could not force Angus Gunn into a meaningful save.

His team-mate Sallai went closer, having one long-range shot saved comfortably and then putting another over the bar, as well as hitting a free-kick into Scotland’s defensive wall.

Szoboszlai was clever with a free-kick five minutes before half-time, shaping to shoot but instead chipping the ball towards the back post, where Orban had a free header but put it against the top of the bar.

The big defender was also involved in the most controversial moment of the game from Scotland’s point of view, when Shankland, on as substitute for Adams, was bundled over in the penalty area by Orban but Argentinian referee Facundo Tello decided the Scotland striker went down too easily and waved play on.

It was stodgy stuff. John McGinn went on a mazy run down the right, weaved his way past three players to the byline, but failed to find Scott McTominay with his cutback, which was easily cleared.

Midway through the second half, Hungary had a penalty appeal of their own turned down, when Barnabas Varga went down after a three-way collision with Gunn and Anthony Ralston at a free-kick. 

The Hungary striker needed several minutes of treatment on the pitch before being taken off on a stretcher, and Tello decided, with the help of VAR, that there was no penalty to follow. Vargas is currently in hospital and is conscious.

As the game went on, play became stretched with Hungary desperate for a goal that would keep them in the tournament.

Marton Dardai put a header over the bar, McTominay shot wide at the other end, but then came the moment when Csoboth scored on the break, to break Scottish hearts and send Hungary’s fans wild with delight.

Scotland (5-4-1): Gunn 6; Ralston 5 (McLean 83), Hendry 6, Hanley 6, McKenna 6 Robertson 6 (Morgan 88); McGinn 6 (Armstrong 75), Gilmour 7 (Christie 83), McGregor 6, McTominay 6; Adams 5 (Shankland 75).

Hungary (3-4-2-1): Gulacsi 6; Botka 6, Orban 7, Dardai 6 (Szalai 73); Bolla 6 (Csoboth 86) , Schaffer 6, Styles 6 (Nagy 59), Kerkez 6 (Z Nagy 86); Szoboszlai 6, Varga 6 (Adam 73), Sallai 7.

Referee: F Tello (Argentina) 8.