Italy defeat Hungary in under-19 elite-round opener

Italy defeated Hungary 3-0 in the opening round of their under-19 European qualifying elite group in Catanzaro. Hungary remained competitive for much of the match before two late goals added to Italy’s narrow halftime advantage in the home tournament.

Jamal Iddrissou scored shortly before the interval after Hungarian coach Szabolcs Kemenes was sent off. Hungary had created early chances through Simon Bodnar and Bendegúz Kovács, while goalkeeper Mirkó Bozó made important saves as the hosts increased their pressure.

Iddrissou added his second in the 78th minute and Comotto completed the scoring seven minutes later. Kemenes urged his players to assess the full performance rather than only the margin. Hungary’s next opponent was Türkiye, who had beaten Slovakia 1-0 earlier in the day.