In a breathtaking climax in Budapest, Troy Parrott became an instant Irish legend, scoring a 95th-minute winner to complete his hat-trick and snatch a vital 3-2 victory for the Republic of Ireland against Hungary. This dramatic, must-win result propels Stephen Kenny's side into the World Cup play-offs, keeping their dreams of reaching the 2026 tournament in the United States, Mexico, and Canada alive.
A Rollercoaster First Half in Budapest
The match began in the worst possible fashion for the visitors. After just four minutes, Hungary's Daniel Lukacs flicked a Dominik Szoboszlai short corner past Caoimhin Kelleher to give the higher-ranked home side an early lead. The Irish response was swift and decisive. On the 15-minute mark, Troy Parrott coolly converted a penalty to level the score, setting the stage for a frantic encounter.
Kelleher was then called into action to make a superb close-range save from Roland Sallai, but he was left with no chance just before half-time. Hungarian striker Barnabas Varga produced a moment of pure quality, chesting the ball down on the edge of the box, swivelling, and unleashing a stunning left-footed half-volley that soared into the top corner, making it 2-1 at the break.
Parrott's Heroic Late Double
With the clock ticking down and Ireland's World Cup hopes fading, the team looked to be running on empty. However, inspired by their recent shock win over group winners Portugal, they found a second wind. The hero from that previous match, Troy Parrott, emerged once more. With just ten minutes of normal time remaining, he broke through the Hungarian defence to equalise for the second time, setting up a grandstand finish.
As the game drifted into the fifth minute of injury time, the miraculous happened. Parrott found space in the box to stab the ball home, completing his hat-trick and sending the Irish players and substitutes into wild celebrations. The goal was his fifth in two crucial qualifying games, cementing his status as the nation's talisman.
The Road to the World Cup
This wild win means the Republic of Ireland finishes second in Group F with 10 points, three behind Portugal who thrashed Armenia 9-1. Hungary, who only needed a draw to secure the playoff spot, were left heartbroken. The focus for Ireland now shifts to the two single-leg playoff games in March. Victory in both will see them join Portugal at the expanded World Cup next June.
