Troy Parrott scored a dramatic hat-trick to secure Republic of Ireland a 3-2 victory over Hungary in Budapest, clinching a World Cup play-off spot in the sixth minute of stoppage time. The AZ Alkmaar striker's late winner ended Hungary's hopes of qualifying for their first World Cup since 1986.
The 23-year-old broke down in tears during his post-match interview with RTE. "This is why we love football because things like this can happen," Parrott said. "I love where I'm from, my family are here, this means the world to me. This is the first time I've cried in years, I really can't believe it."
Comeback victory
Ireland fought back twice after falling behind. Hungary took an early lead through Daniel Lukacs after just four minutes. Parrott equalized from the penalty spot in the 15th minute after referee Espen Eskas reviewed a challenge on Chiedozie Ogbene.
Barnabas Varga restored Hungary's advantage with a left-foot half-volley before halftime. Ireland went 2-1 down at the break.
Parrott leveled the score again with 10 minutes of normal time remaining. Finn Azaz provided an astute chipped pass for the equalizer. Deep into stoppage time, Liam Scales knocked down a ball for Parrott to complete his hat-trick and send Ireland to March's play-offs.
Emotional scenes
The striker struggled to contain his emotions after the final whistle. "I said against Portugal that this is what dreams are made of, but tonight, I don't think I'll ever have a better night in my whole life," Parrott told RTE. "That is really a fairy tale. You can't even dream about something like that. Honestly, I have no words to describe my emotions right now."
Hungary captain Dominik Szoboszlai was seen in tears as his team's World Cup dream evaporated. The Liverpool midfielder was left disconsolate alongside teammate Milos Kerkez.
Group standings
Ireland finished second in Group F behind Portugal, who topped the group with 13 points after thrashing Armenia 9-1. Ireland secured 10 points, three clear of Hungary.
Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson acknowledged his team's nervous start but praised their resilience. "We seemed to be nervous at the beginning, struggling with movements and defending too late and not aggressive enough," he told RTE. "We put in everything and threw in three strikers in the end. The guys deserved what happened and congratulations to the Irish nation for having the guys."
Former Ireland captain Roy Keane hailed the result on ITV as a "fantastic" achievement. "They've recovered brilliantly. To win today, on the back of the Portugal result, is fantastic. It's a great boost for the country," Keane said. "The manager was heavily criticised, Parrott got a hat-trick - there was always a lot of talk about him but he's stepped up over the last few days."
Parrott has now scored five goals in two games for Ireland after netting a brace in Thursday's 2-0 victory over Portugal in Dublin. Ireland will compete in single-leg play-off games in March for a spot in the 2026 World Cup, hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
