Hungary regained some pride with a fine all-round performance for a 4-1 victory against Georgia in their World Cup group eight qualifier on Wednesday. But they remain rooted in third in the group with only vain hopes, still four points behind Romania and eight adrift of Italy.

Scoreboard Before The Game

The opening 40 minuites of the game produced a few half chances. Shota Arveladze managed to get past Vilmos Sebok in the 4th minuite but his shot from 16 yards was well wide. Atilla Korsos and Lisztes then created Hungary's first chance of the match in the 10th minuite.

Abramidze Tackles Halmai

In the 21st minuite Matyus was booked for a fould on Kavelashvili and Kobiashvili took the free kick but Gabor Kiraly pulled off a good save. Kabat for Hungary then tried a shot from 25 yards but the ball went just wide. Temuri Ketsbaia then went close for Georgia at the other end but his shot from the edge of the box went agonisingly wide. After an even first 40 minuites Hungary took the lead. A free kick was awarded to Hungary on the left side of the pitch and Lisztes swung it in and Janos Matyus finished from close range for his first international goal.

Khizanishvili Pleads his Innocence

Minuite's later it was 2-0 as Rekhviashvili upended Horvath and the referee awarded a penalty to Hungary which was stroked into the net past Zoidze by Vilmos Sebok. Hungary went into the break with a barely deserved 2-0 lead. Georgia came out in the second half strong and Archil Arveladze had the first chance of the Second half but his shot was saved by Kiraly. Hungary then extended their lead to 3-0 as poor Georgian defending allowed Atilla Korsos to score his first of two goals in the match. Hungary then went 4-0 up in the 60th minuite as Atilla Korsos found himself with some space in the box and he shot past Zoidze from 14 yards. Hungary could of extended their lead to 5-0 but Matyus' shot was saved by Zoidze.

Lisztes Takes On Rekhviashvili

Georgia then made 3 substitutions: Kaladze off for Todua, Kavelashvili off for Kinkladze and the injured Nemsadze off for Revaz Kemoklidze. Georgia then scored a consolation through Levan Kobiashvili in the 78th minuite when Shota Arveladze crossed for Kobiashvili to touch the ball into the net from 10 yards. Hungary then had a few half chances but Ketsbaia nearly made it 4-2 in the 88th minuite when his shot from 30 yards was saved by Kiraly.

Dzodzuashvili And Kipiani Look On

Georgian coach David Kipiani said: 'Hungary deserved a win because they were better in every element of the game.' Hungarian counterpart Bertalan Bicskei was satisfied, although he knew Romania, second-placed in the group, had won 2-1 in Lithuania earlier in the evening. 'We started slowly but after the second goal we picked up the gears and played really well,' Bicskei said. 'In a game of two disappointing teams we won because our will was stronger.' Although Georgia's performance was bad the next match in the group is the return match in Georgia on September 1st which gives them the chance for revenge. A new national team coach will also be in place by then after Revaz Dzodzuashvili and David Kipiani left their posts as the joint manager of the Georgian national team after they only won 1 game out of 5.

Hungary: Király, Gyorgy Korsós, Sebők, Mátyus, Pető, Lisztes (Lendvai81), Halmai (Dárdai 70), Illés, Atilla Korsos (Dombi 78.), Horváth, Kabát

Georgia: Zoidze, Abramidze, Kaladze (Todua, 68), Archil Arveladze, Kobiashvili, Khizanishvili, Rekhviashvili, Nemsadze (Kemoklidze 68), Ketsbaia, Shota Arveladze, Kavelashvili (Kinkladze 53)

Booked: Halmai, Matyus, Horvath (All Hungary), Nemsadze and Abramidze (Georgia)

Attendance: 10,000