Football / Sports

England suffer shock 4-0 home loss to Hungary as Nations League misery continues

England are staring at the prospect of relegation from UEFA Nations League Group A3 after suffering their worst home loss since 1928 with a 4-0 defeat to Hungary at Molineux on Tuesday.

Roland Sallai found the net in both halves to propel the visitors to their first away win against England since a famous 6-3 win at Wembley in 1953. England’s misery was compounded in the final 10 minutes as Zsolt Nagy and Daniel Gazdag scored further goals and John Stones was shown a second yellow card to make it one of the worst nights of Gareth Southgate’s reign.

England remain winless and at the bottom of their Nations League group with two points from four games, including a 1-0 defeat to Hungary in the reverse fixture earlier this month. Hungary top the group on seven points, ahead of Germany and Italy. The group winners go to the Nations League finals next June while the bottom team are relegated.

Southgate made nine changes from the team that drew with Italy at the weekend to give some fringe players a chance. But despite dominating possession, England created few chances, and the experiment backfired leading to loud boos from the home support.

“It’s not pleasant,” Southgate said. “The irony is that the pressure we’ve had and the reputational comments have come in the two Nations League campaigns, and in neither campaign have we been anywhere near able to pick our strongest teams for the games. The matches where every other England manager has been judged, we’ve had the best performances for 50 years.

“So there is a balance in my head. I’m really clear. But I totally understand the response tonight. I totally understand there’s been this narrative all week. I didn’t think that was correct after the Germany game. But tonight, I can’t dress up what’s happened tonight in any way, shape or form. But if we’re judged on the matches with our full strength players, then I think it’s a different assessment.

“So I’ve got to accept the next period …

Football / Sports

Italy cling on for 2-1 win over Hungary to top England’s Nations League group

The Azzurri held on to go from the Italian Sob to the Italian Job done as they sunk the Three Lions’ conquerors 2-1 in Cesena.

European champions Italy have kept just one clean sheet in their last eight games.

But until Mancini lunged in on the hour to fizz home a near-post cross from Attila Fiola they looked likely to halve that staggering stat.

Nicolo Barella, emphatically, and Lorenzo Pellegrini, easily, had rewarded Italian dominance by scoring after 30 and 45 minutes respectively.

But Mancini gave his team-mates and namesake manager Roberto some twitchy moments by arriving in the wrong place at the wrong time to put through his own net.

Fiola matched his impressive approach work down the right by raking the ball across.

And Mancini slid in with a precision of touch and timing that would have been applauded… had he produced it at the other end.

The Roma star remained flat out at full-stretch on the ground with anguish and embarrassment before team-mates dragged him up.

In the end, though, Hungary lacked the extra class to make him fully pay for his slide-fool finish with an equalizer.

And now it’s England who lie prone – at the bottom of the group with just a point.

Italy clearly deserved their victory overall.

Hungary keeper Denes Dibusz parried out a Mancini header early on.

Azzurri stopper Gianluigi Donnarumma reacted just as smartly to deny Roland Salli.

But it was all change once Italy pounced on the half-hour.

Leonardo Spinazzola slotted the ball across the edge of the area for Barella to power home.

Pellegrini nearly teed up Wilfried Gnonto to double the lead but promptly prodded home himself from a Matteo Politano center.

Napoli winger Politano hit the bar soon after the break.

And Italy’s flowing play seemed on course for a possibly bigger win – until Mancini’s unexpected intervention made for a surprisingly tight finale.…