---
title: "\"Sport shouldn't look like this\": Ukraine national team comments on clash with Hungarians"
description: "Ukraine defeated Hungary in the Nations League thanks to Sikan's goal, but the match ended in a mass brawl sharply condemned by players and coaches."
date: 2026-09-26T08:32:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/sport-shouldnt-look-like-this-ukraine-hungary-clash-comments
tags: [ukraine-football, hungary-football, nations-league, danylo-sikan, illia-zabarnyi]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# "Sport shouldn't look like this": Ukraine national team comments on clash with Hungarians

![Clash between Ukraine and Hungary national team players in the Nations League match](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/26/sport-ne-dolzhen-tak-vygljadet-kom-o-sty-vengriya-ukraina/sport-ne-dolzhen-tak-vygljadet-kom-o-sty-vengriya-ukraina-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- Ukraine beat Hungary 1-0 in the first round of the UEFA Nations League 2026/27 thanks to a goal by Danylo Sikan.
- In the 90+1st minute after Oleksandr Nazarenko's red card, a mass brawl broke out on the pitch involving players and coaches.
- Ukraine player Illia Zabarnyi and the coaching staff condemned the incident, stating that sport should not look like this.

The Ukraine national football team made a successful start in the new UEFA Nations League 2026/27 campaign, securing a narrow yet vital victory against the national team of Hungary. The sole and winning goal in this tense encounter was scored by Anderlecht forward Danylo Sikan, who masterfully converted his chance. However, the triumph of the Ukrainian team was overshadowed by an unpleasant incident that occurred during stoppage time, causing a widespread resonance in sports media and among fans of both countries.

### Chronology of the conflict in stoppage time

The emotional intensity of the match reached its peak in the 90+1st minute when the main referee showed a second yellow card and subsequently a red card to Ukraine midfielder Oleksandr Nazarenko, leaving the team a man down. As the player was leaving the pitch, a verbal altercation broke out between the players of both teams. In particular, a verbal clash occurred between Hungary captain Dominik Szoboszlai and Ukrainian winger Viktor Tsyhankov, instantly heating up the atmosphere on the pitch to the limit.

The situation rapidly escalated out of control when Hungary defender Milos Kerkez aggressively pushed Viktor Tsyhankov. Experienced defender Mykola Matviyenko immediately rushed to defend his teammate, resulting in a mass scuffle involving players on the pitch. At that moment, one of the coaching staff members of the Hungary national team unexpectedly intervened in the conflict, resorting to physical force by pushing Ukrainian defender Valeriy Bondar. 

### Reaction of the coaching staff and players

The disorder was stopped thanks to the prompt intervention of official figures and Blue-and-Yellows head coach Andrea Maldera, who rushed to break up the participants of the brawl and pull the Hungarian assistant away from his charges. The refereeing crew quelled the conflict with a series of disciplinary punishments, issuing yellow cards for unsportsmanlike behavior to Szoboszlai, Kerkez, Tsyhankov, and Matviyenko. After the final whistle, the incident became the main topic of discussion in the coaching staff and among the players of the Ukrainian national team.

Ukraine defender Illia Zabarnyi sharply condemned the behavior of the mass brawl participants in post-match comments, stating that such a display of emotion is unacceptable on a football pitch. He was supported by the coaching staff, who noted the need to maintain composure in any game situations.  Despite the hard-fought victory, the incident cast a shadow over the sporting component of the match, forcing football officials to think about the need to strengthen security measures and discipline control at matches of such a high level.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- ["Спорт не должен так выглядеть": как в сборной Украины комментировали стычку с венграми](https://sport.rbc.ua/ukr/football/sport-mae-viglyadati-k-zbirniy-ukrayini-komentuvali-1790411272.html) - Основной источник информации о матче и комментариях тренеров.
- ["Спорт не должен так выглядеть": Забарный прокомментировал драку в конце матча Венгрия – Украина](https://football24.ua/ru/news/sport-ne-dolzhen-tak-vygljadet-zabarnyj-prokommentiroval-draku-v-konce-matcha-vengrija-ukraina-966965) - Подтверждает слова Ильи Забарного и детали инцидента.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: Who scored the winning goal in the Hungary vs Ukraine match?
**A:** The sole and winning goal of the match was scored by Anderlecht forward Danylo Sikan.

### Q: What caused the mass brawl at the end of the match?
**A:** The conflict began in the 90+1st minute following Oleksandr Nazarenko's dismissal from a verbal altercation between Dominik Szoboszlai and Viktor Tsyhankov, which escalated into a physical confrontation.