Steve Clarke admitted that sadness and disappointment was the ‘overriding feeling’ after Kevin Csoboth’s 100th minute winner for Hungary knocked Scotland out of Euro 2024.
‘I’m sad – disappointed and sad,’ said Clarke. ‘The overriding feeling is to be sad for everyone – for the supporters and the country. And the players are just as sad as everyone else.’ added the Scotland boss.
Defeat for Scotland means that for the 12th time in a row, they have failed to make it out of their group at a major tournament.
Despite knowing that a win would put them in a strong position to qualify for the round-of-16, Clarke’s side failed to have a shot on target until injury time but were denied a potential penalty in the second half by Argentinian referee Facundo Tello for a challenge by Willi Orban on Stuart Armstrong. And Clarke revealed his frustration after there was no VAR check in Stuttgart.
‘It was 100 per cent a penalty. I don’t understand how VAR can look at that and say it’s not a penalty. Someone has to explain to me why that’s not a penalty because otherwise I’m thinking there’s something wrong,’ bemoaned Clarke. ‘It’s a European competition so it might be better to have a European referee,’ Clarke added.
Scotland finish the group with just one point from their three games and are still without a tournament win since Euro 1996.
‘We gave everything. You can’t fault the effort,’ said Clarke. It was always going to be decided by the first goal.
‘We didn’t manage to get the goal, we opened up at the end to try and get it but ultimately we didn’t create enough chances to score a goal,’ he admitted.
Hungary, who had striker Barnabas Varga stretchered off and taken to hospital after a worrying injury, finish Group A in third with three points and could still qualify for the next round as one of the four best third-placed teams.
Marco Rossi, the Hungary boss, confirmed Varga was stable after the game and ‘not under any risk’ but added that the 29-year-old suffered a fractured cheekbone and will have to undergo surgery.
And Player of the Match Roland Sallai dedicated Hungary’s victory to Varga.
‘It was a terrible moment,’ said Sallai. ‘Fortunately he’s in a much better condition. He’s stable and fingers crossed, he can return quicky. We dedicate this result to him,’ Sallai added,
