England eased to victory against Hungary in Budapest to reinforce their position at the top of World Cup qualifying Group I.
Their first game since losing this summer’s Euro 2020 final to Italy, Gareth Southgate’s men dominated the ball in the first half without having anything to show for it, Harry Maguire heading over from a Luke Shaw corner and Harry Kane firing over when well placed on the edge of the box.
England went up another gear in the second half, Kane scuffing a shot at Hungarian goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi after a great pass by Kyle Walker shortly after the break.
Not long after that, they were ahead, Raheem Sterling finishing from a Mason Mount pull-back after good work by Declan Rice and Jack Grealish.
Kane then got on the scoresheet himself, heading in from a deflected Sterling cross after Rice’s midfield partner Kalvin Phillips had intercepted a loose Hungarian pass.
Maguire made it 3-0 as Gulacsi spilled his header from another Shaw corner, before the Hungary keeper again made an error, allowing Rice’s tame effort to slip through his hand for 4-0.
It was no less than England deserved for a commanding performance. Indeed, it should have been more than four, Kane having another two good chances saved by Gulacsi and Sterling fluffing his lines when one-on-one with the RB Leipzig keeper.
The result and performance against a team that had only lost once in their last 14 games before tonight will have therefore impressed Southgate. It means England are well on their way to qualifying for Qatar 2022, winning all four of their qualifying games thus far ahead of the fifth against Andorra at Wembley on Sunday.
Game marred by racist chanting
The result and performance were sadly marred by racist chanting heard amongst the hostile Hungarian crowd.
As England’s players took the knee in their continued protest against racial injustice, a chorus of boos were heard, just as when Ireland’s players took the knee against Hungary in a friendly in Budapest back in June.
Then, as Sterling celebrated the goal that gave England the lead, he was bombarded with plastic cups launched from the stands.
ITV reporter Gabriel Clarke, who was behind the goal that England were attacking in the second half, later reported that he heard monkey chants being directed at Sterling and 18-year-old midfielder Jude Bellingham, who was warming up on the touchline.
Such incidents are not the first to occur at the Puskas Arena. As well as the booing of Irish players taking the knee, the Hungarian FA was fined £85,000 and given a two-match ban on spectators following homophobic and racist chanting during their country’s games at Euro 2020.
Unfortunately, this being a FIFA World Cup qualifier, that ban was not in effect tonight.
England nonetheless overcame such adversity well, just as they did in Bulgaria in 2019, and now sit five points above both Poland and Hungary at the top of Group I.
Featured image by OD Pictures – Kiemelt Kormányzati Beruházások Központja Nonprofit Zrt., CC BY-SA 4.0; no changes made.
