The Hungarian national team started with a victory in the World Cup qualifiers

The match started with long shots and spectacular saves, and then the French gained the upper hand. Vendel Vigvári soon equalized with a man advantage, but then the French were successful again in a situation where they were outnumbered. Márton Vámos made the score 2–2 from five meters, and finally the opponent again accurately completed a man advantage (2–3).

At the beginning of the second eight minutes, another Hungarian equalizer came quickly with Gergely Burián’s accurate shot. Not long after, Vigvári hit the bottom right corner, also from a catch, giving the Hungarians the lead for the first time.

There were numerous attacks on both sides that ended without results, then Krisztián Manhercz increased the advantage. In this phase, the Hungarian team scored its first goal in the last minute, Ugo Crousillat bombed the goal of newcomer Dániel Szakonyi from a distance. In the end, however, Toni Német pulled the ball in from close range, restoring the two-goal difference (6-4).

In the fourth minute of the third quarter, the ball ended up in the Hungarian goal, but the shot took place at the end of the attacking time, so the goal was withdrawn after the video was taken, and Vámos scored a great goal from a distance to conclude the next action. Then, 16 seconds before the next break, the French made it better (7-5).

In the middle of the fourth period, after a nice play-in, Dániel Angyal scored from close range, then Zoltán Pohl’s long-range shot found its way into the goal. The French got to five meters, but Mehdi Marzouki’s shot was saved by Szakonyi. Sixteen seconds before the end, another French goal came, but the game was closed by Vámos, who shot into the lower left corner with a man advantage when there were only three seconds left.

At the tournament in Zagreb, the Hungarians will next meet the World Cup silver medalists Italy, followed by the Japanese, the Americans and the European champions Croatia. Since the finals of the series are hosted by Los Angeles, the Americans automatically advance, and the two best teams can appear in the finals alongside them.

Result, World Cup, qualifier (Zagreb), 1st round:
Hungary–France 10–6 (2–3, 4–1, 1–1, 3–1)
scorers of the Hungarian team: Vámos 3, Vigvári Ve. 2, Burián, Manhercz, Német, Angyal, Pohl 1-1

(Cover photo: MVLSZ/Anikó Kovács)