Northern Ireland top Nations League Group B2 on four points from two games after a goalless draw with Hungary in Belfast.

The hosts hit the crossbar through Patrick Kelly in the first half, but it was a game of precious few chances at Windsor Park.

Coming into the game, Northern Ireland had lost just once of their previous nine at home and the visitors never looked likely to join Germany in winning here across that run.

Keeper Pierce Charles did not have to make his first save until the 90th minute, but Balazs Toth was only marginally busier in the Hungarian goal.

After Shea Charles' 99th-minute winner against Georgia on Friday, there was to be no late drama this time around.

Their points tally is identical to second-placed Ukraine, who they face in the third fixture of this four-game window in Slovakia on Friday.

In a first half of few opportunities, Barnsley midfielder Kelly went closest to the opener, looping the ball on to the Hungarian bar from close range when perhaps distracted by the grappling between Milos Kerkez and Shea Charles in front of him.

Kelly had already tested Toth when he just failed to get enough under a delicate chip on the counter.

Isaac Price and Trai Hume also had efforts from distance for Northern Ireland.

Hungary, captained by Dominik Szoboszlai, improved after the break but it was still approaching the hour mark when they had their first efforts on goal, although neither of Andras Schafer's strikes hit the target.

Substitute Donat Barany certainly should have tested Pierce Charles with 20 minutes remaining, but headed over from five yards.

Price had an effort pushed past the post by Toth after the ball broke kindly for him in the box, while Ruairi McConville made a terrific block at the other end.

Alex Toth had a chance to steal a win for the visitors seconds before injury time, but Pierce Charles batted the effort away.

Making the step up to the second tier of the Nations League for the first time in six years was always to be an interesting gauge of Northern Ireland's recent progress.

Across their first 180 minutes back at this level, the big positive has been their defensive solidity, all despite losing the influential Dan Ballard to injury in last week's win in Tbilisi.

Having kept Georgia's Khvicha Kvaratskhelia quiet on Friday, Szoboszlai was the obvious threat for the opposition this time.

But the Liverpool midfielder cut a frustrated figure for much of the contest as the home side's organisation, shape, and work off the ball were the key facets of another resolute display.

When the number 10 blasted wide late on, he looked skyward having wasted what was his last chance to have a definitive say on the outcome

His side had improved as the game wore on, but it would have been harsh on the hosts, and centre-back Ciaron Brown in particular, had Hungary snatched a late success.

Northern Ireland were again admirably solid but, in the absence of the type of late intervention from Shea Charles that beat Georgia, this was far from spectacular.

With this promising team there remains the question of where regular goals will come from and again it was a struggle to turn plenty of good positions into real threats.

Price, the side's most regular goalscorer, had one chance saved by Toth, but this was another 90 minutes when the absence of Liverpool full-back Conor Bradley was keenly felt creatively.