BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Ireland held its ground. world cup A stunning come-from-behind victory against Hungary gives hope a breath of fresh air.
Troy Parrott, the unheralded Irish striker who led Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal team to defeat 2-0 loss He scored a hat trick on Thursday and did even better on Sunday.
In Budapest, he scored in the sixth minute of second-half stoppage time to complete a hat-trick as Ireland won 3-2, sealing their place in the play-offs for next year’s tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Despite defeating Portugal, the Irish needed a win over second-placed Hungary to seal their place as Group F runners-up.
However, they made a dramatic comeback in the 80th minute when they were trailing 2-1 and won the match.
Parrott equalized with a shot past Hungarian goalkeeper Denes Dibus, and with time running out, he scored the winning goal from close range deep in stoppage time.
Parrott, who plays for Dutch side AZ Alkmaar in the Eredivisie, scored five goals in two games, capping off an unforgettable week for him personally and for Ireland.
Hungary took the lead three minutes later with a goal from Daniil Lukács, and Parrott equalized with a penalty in the 15th minute.
Barnabas Varga gave Hungary their second lead before half-time.
However, Parrott’s second-half double put the hosts in third place. Group winners Portugal beat Armenia 9-1.
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AP Soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
