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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Matt Verri

England 0-4 Hungary: Three Lions suffer worst home defeat in 94 years as Gareth Southgate’s side fall apart

England suffered their worst home defeat in 94 years as Hungary beat them for the second time in ten days with a stunning 4-0 win at Molineux.

Roland Sallai netted in either half, with Zsolt Nagy and Daniel Gazdag piling on the misery late on as the Three Lions suffered a disastrous night in front of a furious Molineux crowd. Their mood was not improved when John Stones was sent off shortly after the third goal went in, as the home side fell apart late on.

Gareth Southgate’s side are now winless in four matches. They have scored just once in those games during the international break - a Harry Kane penalty against Germany.

England remain bottom of the Nations League group and the bigger concern will be a run of such poor performances with only two matches left, both in September, before the England get their World Cup underway in Qatar.

It was a bright enough start from the Three Lions, as Jarrod Bowen saw his header at the back post blocked when he looked set to open the scoring, but it was Hungary who took the lead with just over a quarter of an hour played.

A free-kick was floated into the box, England failed to clear the danger and it dropped for Sallai who fired past Aaron Ramsdale, the goalkeeper getting a significant touch but not enough to keep the ball out.

Another set-piece almost brought another Hungary goal, as Phillips could only flick on a dangerous cross and Reece James had to be alert to head it away off the line at the back post.

Willi Orban had his goalkeeper to thank as he almost headed a Bukayo Saka cross into his own goal, while England failed to make the most of a couple of opportunities they did get to break.

Raheem Sterling was introduced at the break and Mason Mount came on early in the second-half, as Southgate turned to two players he trusts the most to try and find a way back into the match.

There was slightly more urgency from England but it was still a lacklustre display and their problems only grew when Sallai got his second of the night with 20 minutes remaining.

It came from Kalvin Phillips failing to control the ball and then making a poor attempt at a tackle, as Hungary broke, found Sallai and he poked the ball under Ramsdale to stun Molineux.

As England pressed forward, there was even more space for Hungary and they took full advantage. The ball rolled out to Nagy on the edge of the area and he thumped an effort in at the near post from the edge of the area.

The boos following that goal were still ringing out when Stones was harshly sent off, with Harry Maguire then brought on to widespread jeers as the atmosphere turned toxic.

Gazdag added another on the break with a delighful dink over Ramsdale, sending England into the summer break shell-shocked.

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