Marco Rossi's Hungary men's national team bossed their first home game of the current Nations League campaign, but Bosnia & Hercegovina defended diligently enough to secure a goalless draw in the Puskás Aréna in Budapest on Tuesday evening.

Rossi had emphasised before the match that only victory could extricate Hungary from the hole they find themselves in following Saturday's 5-0 loss away to Germany and while this wasn't the win his squad was searching for, it was at least a much-improved performance and lays the foundations for more positive displays this autumn.

Rossi made four changes to the starting line-up against Germany, Dénes Dibusz replacing Péter Gulácsi in goal, Endre Botka starting on the right side of defence in place of Botond Balogh, Tamás Nikitscher, who only made his debut three days ago, deputising for Adam Nagy in midfield and Zsolt Nagy getting the nod on the left side instead of Milos Kerkez.

Hungary had the majority of possession from the outset, their opponents staying put in their own half while the hosts dictated the rhythm of the match. The first quarter of an hour was attritional, neither goal being threatened, but that changed in the 16th minute when Varga's header from 11 metres was well saved by Bosnia goalkeeper Vasilj. Eight minutes later, another Varga header was repelled by Vasilj, this time over the crossbar for a corner, before Hungary captain Dominik Szoboszlai missed the target with a free-kick and Vasilj saved Varga's shot from a tight angle and denied Zsolt Nagy with a much-needed block. Hungary remained in control but couldn't find a breakthrough.

This would be the pattern of the game for the second half too, Varga again seeing efforts saved while Szoboszlai's free-kick from 24 metres struck the crossbar with 19 minutes remaining. The visitors looked happy to return home with a single point and that's exactly what happened, substitute Martin Ádám's late free header from five metres out not wide enough of Vasilj to stop him saving with his feet and preserving a clean sheet.

While some may see this as a missed opportunity, it is certainly a step back in the right direction after last Saturday's humbling in Dusseldorf and although Hungary are bottom of their group on goal difference, both Bosnia and themselves holding one point each, they will look forward with good reason to October's next Nations League fixtures when they'll host the Netherlands and travel to Bosnia.

Hungary 0–0 Bosnia-Hercegovina

HUN: Dibusz – Botka (Balogh B., 82), Orbán, Dárdai M. – Bolla (Csoboth, 75), Nikitscher, Schäfer, Nagy Zs. (Kerkez, 82) – Szoboszlai – Sallai, Varga B. (Ádám M., 82).

Bosznia-Hercegovina: Vasilj – Gazibegovic, Bicakcic, Katic, A. L. Barisic, Dedic – Saric (Gigovic, 61), I. Basic (Huseinbasic, 61), Burnic (B. Tahirovic, 46) – Dzeko, Demirovic (Bajraktarevic, 77).