Sports

Hungary Thrash England 4-0 In Nations League

Published

3 years ago

June 14, 2022

England are staring relegation from the top tier of the Nations League in the face after a 4-0 thrashing by Hungary on Tuesday inflicted the Three Lions’ heaviest home defeat since 1928.

Hungary secured their first win over England for 60 years in Budapest 10 days ago and followed that up with their first win on English soil since a famous 6-3 win at Wembley in 1953.

A double from Roland Sallai and late goals from Adam Nagy and Daniel Gazdag kept Hungary on course to reach the Nations League finals next year.

Marco Rossi’s men are not headed to the World Cup in Qatar, but lead Germany by a point, with European champions Italy two points behind the group leaders with two games to go.

England are three points adrift at the bottom of the section and need a revival in September away to Italy and home to Germany to avoid relegation.

However, of greater concern for Gareth Southgate will be his side’s form just five months away from the World Cup.

Southgate was the target for much of the scorn of the home crowd in Wolverhampton despite his record of leading England to a first major tournament final for 55 years at Euro 2020 and the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup.

The England boss bemoaned a reliance on Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling for goals before the match and once again England were toothless.

The only goal Southgate’s men have scored in four Nations League matches this month was Kane’s late penalty in a 1-1 draw in Germany a week ago.

The return of a crowd at Molineux after Saturday’s goalless draw with Italy was played behind closed doors did little to spark England into life.

Fatigue at the end of a long season that began just weeks after losing the Euro 2020 final to Italy has been blamed for England’s lacklustre form.

However, there are major defensive issues for Southgate to address before the World Cup.

John Stones rounded off a miserable evening when he was harshly sent off for a second yellow card eight minutes from time.

The Manchester City centre-back was also at fault for the opening goal as he turned a free-kick into Sallai’s path, whose shot had too much power for Aaron Ramsdale.

Sallai produced another deadly finish to double Hungary’s lead 20 minutes from time when he latched onto Martin Adam’s inch-perfect pass to fire in between Ramsdale’s legs.

Kane saw a looping header come back off the bar as England briefly stirred.

But they were cut open at ease on the counter-attack in the closing stages as Hungary secured a memorable win.

Nagy drilled home a powerful shot from the edge of the area.

Stones was then given his marching orders before Gazdag broke clear to rub salt in England’s wounds.

AFP

Sports

WCQ: Haaland Scores Hat-trick As Norway Thrash Israel 5-0

Published

1 day ago

October 11, 2025

Editor

Erling Haaland scored a hat-trick to pass 50 international goals in record time as Norway cruised to a 5-0 thrashing of Israel on Saturday, edging closer to qualifying for a first World Cup since 1998.

Norway, who have not played at a major tournament since Euro 2000, now lead Group I with nine points more than second-placed Italy, who have two games in hand and play in Estonia later Saturday.

The Scandinavians will secure a place at next year’s finals in the United States, Canada, and Mexico with a win over the Estonians on Tuesday if Italy fails to defeat either Estonia or Israel in their next two matches.

Manchester City striker Haaland is the leading scorer in European qualifying with 12 goals so far.

He also became the fastest player in men’s international football to reach 50 goals for his country and now boasts 51 goals for Norway in just 46 games.

England captain Harry Kane held the previous record, bringing up his half-century in 71 appearances.

Ahead of kick-off, hundreds of people attended a pro-Palestinian demonstration, chanting “Free Palestine” to protest against Israel’s “genocide” in Gaza, AFP journalists reported.

The head of the Norwegian football association, Lise Klaveness, recently said she was pushing “for Israel to be sanctioned”.

In early action, Haaland surprised the Norwegian fans in the Ullevaal Stadium when his penalty was saved by Israeli goalkeeper Daniel Peretz.

The spot-kick was ordered to be retaken for encroachment inside the area and Haaland struck his second effort in the opposite direction, only for it to be parried away again by Peretz.

But Norway did forge ahead in the 18th minute through an Anan Khalaili own goal, before Haaland raced clear to score in a ninth successive international appearance.

The hosts grabbed their third just seconds after Israel kicked off again in the 28th minute, as Peretz kicked the ball off Idan Nachmias, who was under pressure from Haaland, and into the net for another own goal.

Nachmias also had to go off injured after colliding with the post.

Haaland added his second in the 63rd minute, powering home a header from Antonio Nusa’s cross, before nodding in to complete his hat-trick with 18 minutes left.

Elsewhere, Hungary beat Armenia 2-0 in Group F, meaning Portugal could qualify with back-to-back wins over the Republic of Ireland, who they were facing at home later Saturday, and then Hungary on Tuesday.

Sports

Just Like Football Clubs, Let’s Sign Foreign President To Fix Nigeria – Actor Okele [VIDEO]

Published

2 days ago

October 10, 2025

Editor

Popular Nigerian actor, Tunde Usman, professionally known as Okele, has proposed ‘signing’ of foreign Presidents to fix the country.

The actor made the suggestion while reacting to Nigeria’s current economic hardship.

Reacting to the increase in price of cooking gas across the nation, Okele in a now trending video shared on his Instagram page proposed a football method of removing a non performing coaches to address Nigeria’s challenges.

Speaking in Yoruba, the actor argued that adoption of the football method might solve constant disappointment with elected leaders.

“Greetings to all Nigerians home and abroad. May God help us soften this hardship. I just thought of something about gas, fuel and the way things are expensive in Nigeria.

“If you are a lover of football you would know that every club has a coach, assistant coach, and those that train the keepers. So, instead of campaigning for different political parties with some looting our money, why can’t Nigeria look around the world and sign any ex-president that has proven himself in another country to fix Nigeria.

“Even many football nations signed coaches from different countries. Maybe we should adopt the signing of the President method to end different political parties campaigns. Let’s come together and sign our President the same way we signed the coach and we can sack the non performing President and sign a new one.”

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A post shared by Tunde Usman-aka Okele (@okele_2)

Sports

FIFA U-20 World Cup: Argentina Crush Nigeria 4-0

Published

4 days ago

October 8, 2025

Editor

Argentina produced a commanding performance to beat Nigeria’s Flying Eagles 4-0 in a knockout-stage match at the U-20 World Cup on Wednesday.

Alejo Sarco opened the scoring after just two minutes, tapping in from a Dylan Gorosito cross.

Maher Carrizo doubled the lead with a superb left-footed free-kick on 23 minutes and added a second shortly after the interval (53′) to make it 3-0.

Mateo Silvetti capped the scoring with a low finish on 66 minutes, finishing off a move created by Gianluca Prestianni.

The Flying Eagles huffed and puffed but rarely threatened the match rhythm. Daniel Daga saw a close-range effort saved before half-time, and Kparobo Arierhi rattled the post in stoppage time of the first half.

But none of their attacks could find a way past Argentina’s goalkeeper Santino Barbi or break down a disciplined defensive unit.

Meanwhile, Ebenezer Harcourt produced several important saves to limit the damage early on.

Tactical changes came early in the second half as Nigeria’s coach shuffled his pack, introducing Auwal Ibrahim, Abduljelil Kamaldeen, Emmanuel Ekele and Charles Agada in a bid to spark a revival, but Argentina’s control of the midfield and clinical finishing rendered the substitutions ineffective.

Details later…