Dominik Szoboszlai’s Hungary were beaten by Switzerland in their Euro 2024 opener (Picture: Getty)
Dominik Szoboszlai cut a frustrated figure as Hungary opened their Euro 2024 campaign with a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Switzerland – and the midfielder’s ‘disturbing body language’ was called into question during the match.
Many had tipped Hungary as a potential surprise package for this summer’s tournament but Marco Rossi’s side barely threatened in the first half of the Group A contest as Switzerland raced to a two-goal lead in Cologne.
It took the Swiss just 12 minutes to break the deadlock through Kwadwo Duah – after a VAR check overturned an offside call – and Michel Aebischer increased the deficit with a controlled finish on the stroke of half-time.
Barnabas Varga latched onto a rare moment of quality from Szoboszlai to half the deficit in the 66th minute but Hungary were unable to find a crucial equaliser, with Switzerland controlling possession for large periods in the closing stages before Breel Embolo added a third at the death.
The result puts Murat Yakin’s Switzerland team second in the group behind Germany, who kick-started their campaign with an emphatic 5-1 victory over a sorry Scotland in Friday night’s one-sided curtain-raiser.
It’s back to the drawing board for Hungary, meanwhile, and Rossi’s men will need of a big response when they take on the tournament hosts on Wednesday.
Hungary captain Szoboszlai, who enjoyed an impressive debut season with Liverpool last term, was some way from his best at Cologne’s RheinEnergieStadion and his frustrations boiled to the surface as Switzerland defended their two-goal lead on the hour-mark.
‘He hasn’t been able to establish any kind of influence in open play,’ ITV commentator Clive Tyldesley said as Szoboszlai shaped up to take a free-kick from out wide, to which Andros Townsend asked: ‘Are we saying he doesn’t look right, his fight?’
Embolo put Switzerland out of sight in Cologne (Picture: Getty)
And after Szoboszlai miscontrolled a pass straight out of play, a less-than-impressed Tyldesley pointed out the midfielder’s ‘disturbing body language’.
‘His body language is a little disturbing I think,’ Tyldesley said.
‘Whether it’s a physical fitness issue or whether he’s disappointed with himself, this is not the Dominic Szoboszlai that burst onto the Premier League scene at the start of last season.’
Former England and Everton winger Townsend suggested the Liverpool star should know better than ‘throwing his arms up’ and setting a bad example for his team-mates.
‘When you’ve got a player like Szoboszlai,, he’s your talisman, he’s your captain, he’s your leader, he’s your best player, you need his energy,’ the Luton forward said.
‘You feed off his energy, you need him to be positive. You can’t have him throwing his arms up and walking around the pitch with a face on him.’