Szoboszlai Shines in Hungary's 3-1 Victory Amid Camera Chaos

Dominik Szoboszlai turned a routine friendly into a personal showcase – and then watched the stadium itself briefly turn into the main story.

Hungary’s 3-1 victory over Kazakhstan in Debrecen will be remembered for both a captain’s performance from the Liverpool midfielder and an alarming stadium malfunction that could have ended in disaster.

Camera crash halts play

Midway through the first half at the Nagyerdei Stadion, play stopped in sudden, uneasy silence. A TV camera, suspended from the stadium roof by wires some 20 metres above the pitch, began to smoke after a fire damaged the cable supporting it, according to reports in Hungarian media.

By the 26th minute, the situation escalated. The heavy camera unit plunged to the turf, smashing into the pitch just a couple of metres from a pitchside cameraman. It was a frightening sight: metal and electronics scattered across the grass where players had been sprinting seconds earlier.

Remarkably, no-one was hurt. Match officials halted the game while staff cleared the wreckage, players regrouped, and the crowd processed how close they had come to a serious incident. Once the debris was removed and safety confirmed, the game resumed.

Szoboszlai takes control

Hungary had already made life complicated for themselves. Kazakhstan struck first, taking a ninth-minute lead and quietening the home support. The hosts pushed, but the early goal forced them to chase the game.

After the break, their captain dragged them back into it.

Szoboszlai, wearing the armband and dictating play, struck early in the second half to level the score. It was the moment Hungary needed, the one the night had been leaning towards. From there, he shifted from finisher to creator.

The Liverpool man then turned provider, supplying the assist for Andras Schäfer to put Hungary in front. From a goal down to 2-1 ahead, the turnaround carried his fingerprints.

The pressure stayed on Kazakhstan. Deep into injury time, Bournemouth’s Alex Tóth added the gloss, wrapping up a 3-1 win and giving the scoreline the authority Hungary’s second-half performance deserved.

Liverpool debut between the posts

Szoboszlai was not the only Liverpool connection on show.

Armin Pecsi, the Reds’ reserve goalkeeper, stepped off the bench just after the hour to make his senior international debut. The 21-year-old, who joined Liverpool last summer and is still waiting for a first-team appearance at club level, finally has his first Hungary cap.

His name had already come close to the spotlight this season. Pecsi was almost called into action for Liverpool against Crystal Palace at Anfield on April 25, when Freedie Woodman required lengthy treatment during a match in which both Alisson Becker and Giorgi Mamardashvili were sidelined with injuries. On that occasion, he stayed on the bench. In Debrecen, he got his moment.

Milos Kerkez, another notable name in the Hungary squad, did not feature against Kazakhstan.

No World Cup, but points to prove

For Szoboszlai, Pecsi and Kerkez, this month will not bring the glare of a FIFA World Cup. Hungary failed to qualify, and nights like this friendly in Debrecen are as close as they will get to tournament intensity for now.

Even so, under the floodlights and under a falling camera, Hungary’s captain delivered, a young goalkeeper stepped into the international arena, and a routine friendly turned into a reminder of both the fragility of the stage and the resilience of those who play on it.