England on Tuesday suffered their heaviest home defeat in nearly 100 years as Gareth Southgate’s side went down 4-0 to Hungary in the UEFA Nations League, while it was also a night to forget for Italy as they lost 5-2 in Germany.
Not since a 5-1 defeat at the hands of Scotland’s “Wembley Wizards” in 1928 had England been beaten by four goals at home, but they were torn apart by Hungary in Wolverhampton and are now in real danger of being relegated from League A to the less glamorous second tier of European international soccer.
Hungary had already beaten England 1-0 in Budapest 10 days previously and they went in front in the 16th minute at Molineux as SC Freiburg forward Roland Sallai controlled the ball on his thigh and volleyed in after a free-kick was nodded down.
Photo: AP
Sallai scored again 20 minutes from time before England collapsed, with Zsolt Nagy making it 3-0 from an emphatic strike.
Home defender John Stones was sent off and then substitute Daniel Gazdag wrapped up a famous Hungarian triumph with a cool finish over goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.
England have just two points from four games in Group 3 and defeat in their next match in Italy in September would condemn them to relegation to League B.
Photo: Reuters
“It was a night to forget, but we’ve got to take it on the chin. We’ve got to move forward,” England captain Harry Kane said. “We are preparing for a big World Cup and that’s the most important thing. We’ll learn a lot from this camp.”
Hungary are top of Group 3, a point above Germany, who leapfrogged Italy thanks to their thumping win over Roberto Mancini’s experimental side in Moenchengladbach.
Elsewhere, the Netherlands remained clear at the top of League A, Group 4 after beating Wales 3-2 in a dramatic finish in Rotterdam.
The Netherlands on 10 points are three ahead of Belgium, who won 1-0 against Poland in Warsaw thanks to Michy Batshuayi’s early header.
Wales are bottom of the group with just one point from four games.
In League B, Ukraine came from behind to draw 1-1 with the Republic of Ireland in the Polish city of Lodz, with Artem Dovbyk equalizing after Nathan Collins had opened the scoring in style.
Ukraine are top of Group 1 on 7 points, a point ahead of Scotland, who won 4-1 in Armenia.
Edin Dzeko netted twice for Bosnia and Herzegovina in their 3-2 defeat of Finland in Group 3, while Montenegro won 3-0 against Romania in the same group.
In Group 1 of League C, Luxembourg and the Faroe Islands drew 2-2, while Turkey beat Lithuania 2-0.
In Group 1 of League D, Liechtenstein lost 2-0 against Latvia, and Moldova beat Andorra 2-1.
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