It was almost too easy. The Germans inflicted, Tuesday, June 14, a home correction to the Italians in their fourth League of Nations match (5-2). A success that they built with seriousness but also by taking advantage of the largesse and mistakes of their evening opponents. Joshua Kimmich launched the Mannschaft party (10th) before passing the torch to Ilkay Gündoğan, from the penalty spot (45th + 4), then to Thomas Müller (51st) and finally to Timo Werner for the double (68th, 69th).
⚽️ Kimmich
⚽️ Gündoğan
⚽️ Muller
⚽️ Werner
⚽️ WernerGermany in fine form against Italy!#NationsLeague pic.twitter.com/Dbf3BY5SN5
— UEFA Nations League (@EURO2024) June 14, 2022
The only clearing on the board for a Squadra Azzurra outdated in all aspects of the game, the first goal in the selection of his new darling in attack: Wilfried Gnonto (78th). At the end of the match, taking advantage of Jonathan Tah’s marking error, Alessandro Bastoni came to whim to lighten an already heavy addition (90th + 4). “We’re pissed off… There’s no excuse, we have to look each other in the face and leave to show that it’s not us. We missed everything tonight”reacted to Rai goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma after the humiliation. “There were mistakes, we didn’t defend well as a team”soberly summed up his coach Roberto Mancini.
On the side of the Molineux Stadium in Wolverhampton, the English selection did not march in a pack. On the contrary even. Gareth Southgate’s players completely took on the water against the Hungarians and suffered a slap at home (0-4). Roland Sallai twice shook the nets of Aaron Ramsdale (16th, 70th) before Zsolt Nagy (80th) and Daniel Gazdag (89th) drive the point home definitively. It was England’s biggest defeat since March 1928 and the punishment then inflicted by Scotland (5-1).
1928 – England have lost a home match by 4+ goals for the first since March 1928, when they lost 5-1 to Scotland. Staggering. pic.twitter.com/42wgHfQP4D
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 14, 2022
After the match, coach Southgate gave his mea culpa to Channel 4: “We had chosen to field a younger team to put in energy, but when the match started, it turned against us, it was seen. I am responsible in the end.” Before staying positive for the future: “I understand the whistles in the stadium, but this group of players have been incredible representing the country and it’s important that people stick with them because they will be very strong in the future.”
With this second victory in a row against the English, the Magyars lead Group 3 with seven points, one point ahead of Germany. For Harry Kane’s teammates, on the other hand, their journey is like a long, endless tunnel. They are last with two points and only one goal scored.
Still, in League A, the Netherlands are undoubtedly those who are the most convincing this season in the League of Nations. Even if it was not until the 93rd minute of play and Memphis Depay’s goal to win against Wales (3-2), the Dutch are at the top of their group with ten points and no defeats. That is the highest total of the four groups combined. They are three units ahead of Belgium, victorious on Tuesday without shining from Poland (1-0).