Scotland's Euro 2024 match with Hungary was brought to a worrying halt after Barnabas Varga was surrounded by team-mates and a screen to shield him from the view of the crowd after collapsing to the floor in an apparent collision inside the Scotland box. The Ferencvaros striker was then taken off on a stretcher.
No further updates were available on Varga's status during the game, but the BBC reported after the game that the Hungarian FA had confirmed that Varga was 'conscious' and 'in stable condition' in hospital in Stuttgart
A Hungary free kick was crossed into the box in the 68th minute, with Scotland goalkeeper Angus Gunn coming off his line to punch clear. In doing so he accidentally collided heavily both with Barnabas and with his own team-mate, Anthony Ralston, leaving all three players down.
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However, while the Scottish duo were up after brief medical treatment, Varga appeared to be unable to move. Whether that was due to a serious injury or a loss of consciousness was not clear.
Fabric screens were quickly brought onto the field to protect Varga's privacy after his team-mates urgently gestured for medical attention, with stewards and more medical personnel bearing a stretcher soon following.
BBC commentator Steve Wilson reported that Hungary midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai was in tears as concern for Varga's wellbeing grew. The Liverpool man then ran to make sure the stretcher got to his team-mate more quickly than it was being carried.
Worrying scenes here - Varga flattened by Gunn as he came for FK. Sheets held around him as he is treated.Hungarian bench screaming for stretcher to come on - Szoboszlai grabbed it and sprinted pic.twitter.com/8fkZS66dO9June 23, 2024
After a lengthy stoppage and a VAR check for a penalty (which was not awarded), Varga was carried from the field and replaced by Martin Adam in a double substitution that also saw Atilla Szalai come on for Marton Dardai. Play then resumed.
The Hungary striker, 29, broke into the national team last year after an excellent domestic season with Hungarian side Paks.
That earned him a move to Ferencvaros last season, for whom he scored 29 goals in 40 games in all competitions.
Scotland and Hungary were vying for a place in the last 16 of Euro 2024, with only a victory for either side likely to be enough to take them through. And the Hungarians gave themselves a chance with a winner in the final minute of added time, converted at the end of a counter-attack by Kevin Csoboth.
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