UEFA.com works better on other browsers
For the best possible experience, we recommend using Chrome, Firefox or Microsoft Edge.

Netherlands seek repeat at home to Hungary

While Eljero Elia thinks Hungary "are afraid" after the Netherlands' 4-0 win in Budapest, Roland Juhász insists his side will "throw caution to the wind" when the teams meet again on Tuesday.

Ibrahim Afellay (right) celebrates after scoring the Netherlands' second goal
Ibrahim Afellay (right) celebrates after scoring the Netherlands' second goal ©Getty Images

The Netherlands may have been comfortable 4-0 victors against Hungary on Friday night but Ibrahim Afellay, a scorer in Budapest, knows they cannot become complacent ahead of Tuesday's return encounter in Amsterdam.

The Netherlands, who now have five successive wins in UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying Group E, were soon into their stride, Rafael van der Vaart firing them into an early lead. Afellay, a thorn in the hosts' side throughout, found the net on the stroke of half-time, with Dirk Kuyt and Robin van Persie getting in on the act after the interval. Afellay, though, was keen to thank Gregory van der Wiel for his role in that decisive second.

"He's a fantastic player and it was a very good pass," said the recent FC Barcelona recruit. "I have a lot to thank him for. I think tonight's result was down to us; we played from the very first minute and created a lot of chances. We deserved to win.

"Hungary are second in the group – they have a good team, but I think we have a lot of quality, and we showed this. Tuesday is another game; we need to focus on this and hope we play like we did today." Eljero Elia, a 63rd-minute replacement for Afellay, was similarly upbeat about the game on home soil. "We have to play the same again – we have to play like this because they are afraid now," he told UEFA.com.

Hungary centre-back Roland Juhász was frank about where it went wrong for Sándor Egervári's charges. "We launched it forward too often and didn't have the ball under control," he said. "The worst thing was that we didn't bring Balázs Dzsudzsák into the play more. He was a real danger in the first half; he had some good runs and crosses.

"He's a player who can do the unexpected; we need to involve him more on Tuesday. We need to win the second ball, bring it down and build the play. We can't go to Amsterdam fearful of being under the cosh; we need to be braver, throw caution to the wind. We've nothing to lose."

Afellay, formerly PSV Eindhoven team-mates with Dzsudzsák, is all too aware of the threat posed by the winger. "Everybody knows Dzsudzsák: he's a very good player with a lot of quality. Everybody knows that; I don't have to tell them. He has the quality to play anywhere, even Spain."

Hungary captain Zoltán Gera was also looking to wipe the slate clean. "We're naturally disappointed; we didn't count on this result," he said. "We need to forget about this match; we need to iron out the mistakes. We need to look in the mirror, look at where we went wrong and where we can improve. I'm certain that on Tuesday things will be different."

Selected for you