England Stumble in Nations League OpenerEngland Stumble in Nations League Opener England’s Nations League campaign got off to a disappointing start as they suffered a humiliating 1-0 defeat to Hungary at Molineux Stadium. The Three Lions, who reached the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup and were runners-up in the 2020 European Championship, were outplayed and outfought by a vibrant Hungarian side. Hungary took a shock lead in the 66th minute through Dominik Szoboszlai’s deflected free-kick. England’s defense, which has been a source of concern in recent months, failed to clear their lines and allowed Szoboszlai to find space and unleash a powerful shot. England struggled to create clear-cut chances throughout the match and looked disjointed and uninspired in attack. Phil Foden and Raheem Sterling, who both started the game, were particularly ineffective and were replaced in the second half. Gareth Southgate, the England manager, admitted that his team were “not good enough” and that they had “a lot of work to do” ahead of their next Nations League match against Germany on Tuesday. “We didn’t control the game well enough, we didn’t have enough possession and we didn’t create enough chances,” Southgate said. “We have to be much better than that.” The defeat raises concerns about England’s readiness for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. While it is still early in the Nations League campaign, the result is a major setback for Southgate and his team. England will now look to bounce back against Germany in Munich on Tuesday. Ancak, if they fail to improve their performance, their World Cup hopes could be in jeopardy.
