Szalai strike earns Hungary first victory

• Ádám Szalai's 21st-minute goal earns Hungary their first win in Group F
• Faroe Islands No1 Gunnar Nielsen catches the eye with a string of saves  
• Hungary move above Greece into fourth place after their narrow victory
• Faroe Islands are point-less after three matches
• Next games: Greece v Faroe Islands, Hungary v Finland (14 November)

Hungary recorded their first win in UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying Group F at the third attempt, defeating the Faroe Islands in Torshavn.

The hosts were full of industry and endeavour in the early stages, a high-energy approach that almost bore fruit when Hallur Hansson seized on a headed clearance and unleashed a fierce strike that elicited a smart one-handed save from debutant Dénes Dibusz.

Seeing more of the ball, the Faroes were comfortable, their first cause for alarm not coming until the 20th minute when Ádám Szalai advanced with purpose and was felled by a stray arm from Atli Gregersen on the edge of the penalty area.

Balázs Dzsudzsák's subsequent free-kick was palmed wide by Gunnar Nielsen, but from the resulting corner Hungary scored, the unmarked Szalai turning in Roland Juhász's ball back across goal after Fródi Benjaminsen had only succeeded in heading the initial delivery to the feet of the visiting centre-back.

Nielsen then denied Dániel Tőzsér twice in the space of four minutes, springing up after the second of those shots to bravely smother Nemanja Nikolić's rebound attempt.

Hansson, having picked up a loose ball in midfield, flashed an effort wide as the half drew to a close. Lars Olsen's team completed more passes and mustered more possession than Hungary in the first period and their start to the second mirrored that of the opening 45 minutes.

As the half wore on, however, it was Pál Dárdai's Hungary who came to the fore, with Szalai rifling an angled drive at Nielsen and Dzsudzsák, from long distance, forcing the keeper into a diving stop.