Two Roland Sallai goals and one apiece from Zsolt Nagy and Dániel Gazdag gave Hungary a memorable victory in England and first place in their UEFA Nations League group.
England suffer their worst home defeat since 1928
Marco Rossi’s side become the first Hungary team to beat England away from home since a famous 6-3 victory in 1953.
This was Hungary’s second victory in 12 away games against England and the first since a famous 6-3 victory in 1953.
England have won only one of their last seven UEFA Nations League games (D2 L4).
England have failed to score in five of their last seven games in the UEFA Nations League.
Following the UEFA Nations League defeat to Hungary, England coach Gareth Southgate provided his assessment of the game and result.
In what was the fourth game in ten days for the Three Lions in the new Nations League campaign, the visitors took a first-half lead before adding a further three goals after the break.
And Southgate says he takes responsibility for the result, and in their first defeat against Hungary last week, with the way his team lined up in both matches.
England coach Gareth Southgate on Nations League match against Hungary ,he said,”We felt at half time that we needed to go for the game and we made changes that we felt gave us a little bit more of an attacking impetus,” he said.
But then we were a little bit more open as well, and in the end we left ourselves wide open.
I have just said to the players there that across the four matches, that’s my responsibility.
I’ve tried to balance looking at new players and tried to rest players because we couldn’t keep flogging our more experienced and better players.
But in the end, the teams I have selected have not been strong enough to get the result in the two Hungary games really.
I think the other two performances have been more positive than perhaps the reaction to it but I totally understand tonight is a chastening experience.
In actual fact, we have seen that you have got to be at full strength, and it was an important experience for lots of young players, this set of games.
We have learned a lot, especially in the Germany and Italy games and Hungary are a good side.
We knew that, and as I said I think I’ve given too much for them to do tonight in the end and I understand the reaction to that in the stadium.
What I would say is that this group of players have been unbelievable for their country, and you know it’s important that people stay with them because they are still going to be very strong moving forward.
Of course I understand the reaction, in the end this is about winning matches with England and tonight was the sort of night that a lot of my predecessors have experienced, and it’s difficult to stand.
I’m not going to say it doesn’t hurt, but it’s very clear to me what we have tried to do across these four matches.
The irony is, it is actually the two Nations League campaigns that have been the ones to heap negativity and pressure on to us and we would not normally have that as an England manager.
So, I have got to go with that, it is my job to protect the players. They have been exceptional in their attitudes; they have never stopped, and the results are my responsibility.”
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Nations League Hungary England Gareth Southgate Football Sports Europe