Head coach Siniša Oreščanin watched his players recover from an eighth-minute goal by Hungarian forward Bence Rab before Niko Pajvančić restored parity in the 37th minute. Croatia then produced a decisive burst immediately after the interval, with Tino Kusanović scoring twice in quick succession to establish a comfortable advantage. Substitute Vito Papac completed the comeback in the 74th minute, confirming a valuable victory against opponents who had made a promising start.
The result provided an excellent opening to a qualifying tournament featuring four national teams competing for three places in the next round. Croatia, Czechia, Hungary and the Netherlands make up Group A7 of League A, with the three highest-placed teams advancing to the final qualifying stage in spring 2027.
For Croatia, winning the opening encounter was particularly important because the remaining fixtures against Czechia and the Netherlands are expected to present further challenges. The convincing margin also gives Oreščanin's team a positive goal difference that could become significant if several nations finish level on points.
Hungary Strike Early, but Croatia Respond
The match began in difficult circumstances for Croatia. Hungary immediately attempted to disrupt the home side's rhythm and capitalised on their early attacking pressure in the eighth minute.
Ferenc Ujváry created the opportunity for Bence Rab, who finished to give Hungary a 1–0 advantage. The goal forced Croatia to chase the game almost from the beginning and provided an early test of the players' composure.
Rather than allowing the setback to affect their confidence, Oreščanin's team gradually established greater control. Croatia increased the intensity of their attacking movements, pushed more players into dangerous positions and began creating opportunities through combinations involving the midfield and wide attacking areas.
The breakthrough arrived in the 37th minute when David Kalem provided the assist for Niko Pajvančić. The Croatian youngster converted to make it 1–1, rewarding the home side's determination and ensuring that the teams entered the interval on level terms.
The equaliser proved important psychologically. After conceding early, Croatia had avoided allowing Hungary to protect their advantage into the second half. It also gave Oreščanin an opportunity to adjust his approach without the immediate pressure of chasing the score.
Although the opening period was not entirely convincing, Croatia's response demonstrated resilience and the ability to remain patient against an opponent defending a narrow lead. The second half would show just how quickly that patience could turn into attacking dominance.
Kusanović Scores Twice in Three Minutes
The decisive moments of the match arrived immediately after the restart, when Croatia produced a remarkable attacking sequence that transformed the result.
Tino Kusanović put Croatia ahead in the 50th minute after receiving a pass from Pajvančić. The Austrian-based forward demonstrated composure in front of goal, completing the comeback and giving the hosts a 2–1 advantage.
Only three minutes later, Kusanović struck again. This time Filip Bokan supplied the assist, allowing the Croatian attacker to finish and extend the lead to 3–1.
The rapid double completely changed the momentum of the encounter. Hungary, who had led for much of the first half, suddenly found themselves two goals behind against an increasingly confident Croatian side.
Kusanović's contribution was particularly significant because both goals arrived during a period when Hungary were attempting to reorganise after conceding the equaliser before half-time. His movement and finishing exposed weaknesses in the visitors' defensive structure and gave Croatia the advantage needed to control the remainder of the contest.
The forward, who represents Austrian club SV Ried, demonstrated the importance of having players capable of making decisive contributions during short periods of attacking pressure.
His two goals also reflected the effectiveness of Croatia's combinations in the final third. Pajvančić and Bokan provided the assists, highlighting the collective quality behind the individual finishing.
With a two-goal advantage established, Oreščanin's players could approach the remainder of the match with greater confidence while continuing to create opportunities against an increasingly stretched Hungarian defence.
Substitute Papac Completes Convincing Victory
Croatia maintained their attacking intensity after moving 3–1 ahead, refusing to allow Hungary a straightforward route back into the match.
The home side continued creating opportunities and testing the Hungarian defence, demonstrating that their improved performance was not limited to the opening minutes of the second half.
Oreščanin introduced fresh players as the match progressed, including Slaven Belupo youngster Vito Papac, who replaced one of his teammates in the 72nd minute.
The substitution proved immediately successful. Just two minutes after entering the pitch, Papac scored Croatia's fourth goal following an assist from Matija Kablar.
The 74th-minute finish extended the lead to 4–1 and effectively secured the three points. It also demonstrated the value of Croatia's squad depth, with a substitute making a decisive contribution almost immediately after being introduced.
For Papac, the goal represented an excellent personal moment and an opportunity to strengthen his position within the national team setup. His contribution completed a remarkable Croatian comeback, turning an early 1–0 deficit into a comfortable three-goal victory.
Hungary were unable to produce another response during the closing stages, allowing Croatia to protect their advantage until the final whistle.
The attacking statistics reflected the home side's superiority. Croatia registered 20 shots, including 14 on target, compared with Hungary's 12 attempts and four on target. Those figures underline the difference in attacking efficiency and the pressure Oreščanin's players maintained throughout the match.
Oreščanin's Young Squad Demonstrate Attacking Depth
The victory provided an encouraging demonstration of the talent available to Siniša Oreščanin, whose 20-player squad includes footballers representing clubs in Croatia, Italy, Austria and other European leagues.
Kusanović was the standout performer with two goals, but several teammates made important contributions. Pajvančić combined his first-half equaliser with an assist for Croatia's second goal, while Bokan and Kablar created opportunities that resulted in further goals.
David Kalem also played an important role in the comeback, providing the assist for Pajvančić's equaliser. Together, those contributions demonstrated that Croatia possess different attacking options rather than depending on one individual to create and finish opportunities.
The squad includes players from Dinamo Zagreb, Hajduk Split, Rijeka, Lokomotiva, Istra 1961 and Slaven Belupo, alongside footballers developing abroad at clubs such as Parma, Inter and SV Ried.
That combination provides valuable international experience and creates opportunities for players trained in different football environments to develop an understanding of one another's strengths.
For Oreščanin, the challenge will be maintaining the attacking efficiency demonstrated against Hungary while improving the defensive concentration that was missing during the opening minutes.
The early goal showed that Croatia can still be vulnerable to opponents who begin aggressively. Against Czechia and the Netherlands, similar mistakes could prove more difficult to recover from, making consistency throughout the entire match an important priority.
Nevertheless, the opening victory should provide substantial encouragement. Croatia demonstrated the ability to respond to adversity, improve their performance during the match and convert opportunities when the opposition began to struggle.
Czechia and the Netherlands Await
Croatia's next opponent will be Czechia, with the encounter scheduled in Nedelišće. The final group match will follow against the Netherlands, completing an important international window for Oreščanin's squad.
The qualifying tournament is part of UEFA's revised Under-19 European Championship structure, which introduces three qualifying rounds before the final tournament.
Croatia are competing in League A, where 28 teams have been divided into seven groups of four. The top three teams in each group progress to the third qualifying round, joining the seven League B group winners.
The final qualifying stage will take place in spring 2027, with seven group winners earning places at the European Championship alongside hosts Czechia. The final tournament is scheduled for June 18 to July 1, 2027.
Croatia's victory against Hungary represents an important step towards reaching that final qualifying round, but progression has not yet been mathematically secured.
The encounter against Czechia will provide another opportunity to strengthen their position, while the Netherlands are expected to present a demanding test of Croatia's attacking organisation and defensive stability.
Oreščanin will hope that the confidence generated by the comeback can help the players approach those fixtures with greater composure, particularly when facing opponents capable of maintaining pressure for longer periods.
Croatia Make a Strong Statement in Nedelišće
The opening victory offers a promising foundation for Croatia's campaign. Recovering from an early deficit demonstrated mental resilience, while the second-half performance highlighted the squad's attacking quality.
Kusanović's rapid double was the defining moment, but Pajvančić's equaliser and Papac's contribution from the bench were equally important in shaping the result.
The performance also reflected the value of teamwork. Four goals came through combinations involving several players, demonstrating the attacking understanding that Oreščanin will hope to develop further throughout the tournament.
Croatia's 20 attempts and 14 shots on target provide another indication of their attacking ambition. However, the early defensive setback also offers a reminder that the team must improve certain aspects of its play before facing stronger opposition.
Croatia's 4–1 victory over Hungary was an excellent start to the second round of European Under-19 Championship qualification. After conceding early, Oreščanin's players responded through Pajvančić before Kusanović's two goals in three minutes transformed the contest. Papac completed the impressive comeback, securing three points and giving Croatia confidence ahead of their remaining matches against Czechia and the Netherlands.
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