Hungary came back fantastically from minus 7 and drew with Switzerland in the main groups of the European Championship!
Article by Luminița Paul – Published Friday, January 23, 2026, 10:10 p.m. / Updated Friday, January 23, 2026 10:13 p.m.
The Hungarian men's national team ended the match against Switzerland in the main groups of the European Championship with a draw, 29-29 (14-20), achieving a fantastic comeback in the second half. Dinamo's pivot, Miklos Rosta, was his team's main scorer.
Three scheduled matches from the main group II of the European hosted by Denmark, Norway and Sweden, and the second contested, chronologically, stirred up all possible emotions. For almost 40 minutes it looked so unbalanced that the question of the winner was not even a problem, but rather a certainty.
After a timid 2-2, Switzerland stormed the table strongly, scoring through Rubin, Wanner, Laube and pulling Hungary within four lengths midway through the first half.
The Swiss goalkeeper Nicholas Portner had a strong role in the evolution of the game, he recorded a percentage of the balls saved by 50% in the first nine minutes, and the defense helped in turn.
The representative of the neighboring country could not keep up, although Dinamo's pivot, Miklos Rostaimposed his force on the semicircle in several rows, and the goalkeeper Kristof Palasics he also reduced the possible deficit. Otherwise, too little success.
Switzerland, 6 goals ahead at half time
The Swiss remained in front for a few more minutes, with 3-4 goals, a difference that kept them safe, but the end of the first part gave them the chance of a more consistent breakaway. And they did not refuse it. 20-14 at break and a sense of controlled calm. Once and 20 percent more attacking efficiency than opponents.
At the restart, things went the same way, and the maximum difference, in the end, in the match – 7 goals – appeared quickly after two consecutive goals signed by Leopold and Steenaerts.
Lenny Rubin scored his fifth goal in the 39th minute for 25-18and starting from there everything turned upside down. The Hungarian handball players entered a magical tunnel, scoring six goals in a row until the 46th minute and not conceding a single one. It seemed unbelievable what was happening, but the Swiss responded to pull back four lengths in the 51st minute.
Summary of the match Switzerland – Hungary
But who would have imagined the crazy scenario with the last 8 minutes? Hungary not only absorbed the deficit, but also led, for only the third time in the match after 1-0 and 2-1 at the start, 29-28 following Ligetvari's success when the clock showed 56:32.
Switzerland equalized 30 seconds later through Romdhane, and the final minutes were arid and agonizing. 29-29 in the end, an extraordinary draw snatched by Hungary and a revisited nightmare for the opponents. They had another similar game in the preliminary round: they led Slovenia by 9 goals in the second half, but were beaten by 3.
This time, however, despite the wasted advantage, there is also a sweet wave: Switzerland managed to get its first point in the main European groups in history. In their only other previous appearance, in 2004, they accumulated three defeats in this phase.
Top scorers for Switzerland: Rubin 7, Leopold 6, Romdahne 4, again for Hungary: Rosta 5, Boka, Szita, Fazekas and Imre 3.
In another match of the main group II, Croatia beat Iceland 30-29 (19-15)at the end of 60 tense minutes, in which they always had the lead, often at the limit, with a goal.
