Kenesei's shock for Sweden

Sweden are a good side. We know that because they drew with England during the World Cup finals this summer. Hungary have been in the doldrums for years, so they were bound to be a pushover in the European Championship qualifying Group Four game in Stockholm yesterday.

Not after Krisztian Kenesei put Hungary ahead in the fifth minute with a low shot into the right corner. Sweden suddenly had a battle on their hands, but it was one they should have won. They created half-a-dozen good chances to score but found the Hungarian goalkeeper, Gabor Kiraly, in inspired form, denying them on five occasions. When he was beaten, by a Michael Svensson header from close range, the Hungarian striker Attila Tokoli cleared off the line.

Sweden finally broke the spell in the 76th minute, but even then Kiraly did not surrender his clean sheet easily. He did his utmost to stop Zlatan Ibrahimovic from putting his header on target, but it was little consolation for Kiraly that the Swedish scorer was left on the ground and out of the game after their aerial collision in competing for Mattias Jonsson's cross. The Swedish substitute Kim Kallstrom also went sprawling in the area in the closing minutes, but no penalty was forthcoming from the German referee, Wolfgang Stark.

Stilian Petrov scored for the second successive international to help Bulgaria to their second successive victory in qualfying Group Eight, this one 2-0 against fading Croatia in Sofia. Petrov struck in the 21st minute and Dimitar Berbatoc wrapped up the victory in the 37th.

If Scotland's immediate prospects look better than they did at the start of the week, another victory for their Under-21 side did no harm to the future outlook, either. Kevin Kyle, a contributor to the senior side's humiliation in the Faroe Islands, was sent down to the Under-21s when injuries struck that squad, but the Sunderland striker produced the perfect riposte. He scored the opening goal in the 2-0 victory in Iceland on Friday, rifling the ball home after Gary Caldwell had knocked down Gareth Williams's corner after 17 minutes. Kyle's new club manager, Howard Wilkinson, might be impressed by seeing that, too.

The Canadian-born Simon Lynch's 89th-minute chip sealed victory, which added to the delight of the Under-21 coach, Rainer Bonhof, at Kyle's performance. "He came back to us and it was a challenge to show everybody 'I'm back', and that's what he did," the German said of Kyle.

Another shining light for the Scots was the Dundee goalkeeper Derek Soutar, who was playing his first game in three weeks. He kept his head when the home side stepped up the pressure in the second half, forcing a succession of corners.

Both Lynch and the Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher, who could have played for the Republic of Ireland, committed themselves to Scotland by coming on as substitutes, but that was pure chance, it appears. Bonhof explained: "I didn't know they could play for other countries." But he must know something; the Under-21s are unbeaten under his guidance, a record they hope to extend tomorrow against Ghana in Dumfries.