Match ends, Hungary 0, England 4.
HungaryHungary0EnglandEngland4
England consolidated their position of power in pursuit of a place at next year's World Cup in Qatar with a hugely impressive victory against Hungary in a hostile and often unsavoury atmosphere in Budapest.
Gareth Southgate's side made it four wins from four qualifying games to open up a five-point lead over Poland, who England face in Warsaw after Sunday's meeting with Andorra at Wembley, at the top of Group I.
In a match which contained several flashpoints in the crowd, including loud jeering when England's players took the knee before kick-off, objects being thrown and racist chanting, they came through a mediocre first half to take total control after the break and run out easy winners.
England captain Harry Kane missed a great chance to give them the lead shortly after the break but it did not prove costly as Raheem Sterling crowned a smooth move involving Declan Rice, Jack Grealish and Mason Mount to slide home his 16th goal in his past 24 international appearance after 55 minutes.
Sterling then turned provider eight minutes later as his deflected cross sat up perfectly for Kane to head home, Harry Maguire adding a third as his header from Luke Shaw's corner slipped through the grasp of Hungary keeper Peter Gulacsi.
In one of many incidents, Shaw was showered with plastic cups before taking the corner, as were England's celebrating players after Maguire scored. Sterling suffered a similar fate after putting England ahead when he took off his shirt to display a message in tribute to a close friend who died a few days ago.
England's night was rounded off three minutes from time when Gulacsi's second serious error gifted them a fourth as he allowed Rice's routing shot under his body.
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Sterling leads England romp
England's path to Qatar now looks smooth - and this was a performance that cemented their status as firm favourites to come through their qualifying group with ease.
Southgate's side kept their nerve and discipline in the unsettling, intimidating surroundings of Budapest, with the behaviour of Hungary's fans leaving much to be desired, to turn up the heat and punish their opponents ruthlessly once they had gone ahead.
England's defence was untroubled and the only disappointment for Southgate was that the victory margin could have been even more convincing, with Kane and Sterling missing clear chances to heap even further misery on the fading Hungarians.
Sterling was once again England's key figure, as he was in the Euros, scoring the goal that broke the deadlock before setting up the second for Kane.
Southgate will have been delighted with the manner in which England carved out their first goal, Rice winning possession before a slick link between Grealish and Mount set up Sterling for a composed finish. It was exactly what he wants from those players.
England now face Andorra at home on Sunday before travelling to Poland for what is likely to be the toughest game on the road to Qatar in Warsaw next Wednesday - but it is already hard to see who can stop Southgate's side taking their place at next winter's World Cup.
Player of the match
PhillipsKalvin Phillips
with an average of 7.69
Hungary
Avg
- Squad number1Player nameGulácsiAverage rating
3.65
- Squad number6Player nameOrbanAverage rating
3.62
- Squad number4Player nameSzalaiAverage rating
3.59
- Squad number13Player nameSchäferAverage rating
3.56
- Squad number10Player nameSzoboszlaiAverage rating
3.56
- Squad number15Player nameKleinheislerAverage rating
3.53
- Squad number14Player nameBollaAverage rating
3.53
- Squad number3Player nameKecskésAverage rating
3.51
- Squad number9Player nameSzalaiAverage rating
3.49
- Squad number20Player nameSallaiAverage rating
3.48
- Squad number5Player nameFiolaAverage rating
3.47
- Squad number11Player nameVargaAverage rating
3.23
- Squad number7Player nameSallóiAverage rating
3.23
- Squad number16Player nameGazdagAverage rating
3.16
England
Avg
- Squad number8Player namePhillipsAverage rating
7.69
Squad number7Player nameGrealishAverage rating7.26
Squad number4Player nameRiceAverage rating7.24
Squad number10Player nameSterlingAverage rating7.20
Squad number3Player nameShawAverage rating6.97
Squad number6Player nameMaguireAverage rating6.92
Squad number11Player nameMountAverage rating6.66
Squad number2Player nameWalkerAverage rating6.59
Squad number1Player namePickfordAverage rating6.41
Squad number5Player nameStonesAverage rating6.38
Squad number9Player nameKaneAverage rating6.33
Squad number19Player nameLingardAverage rating5.59
Squad number17Player nameSakaAverage rating5.53
Squad number14Player nameHendersonAverage rating5.39
Line-ups
Hungary
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 1Gulácsi
- 3Kecskés
- 6OrbanBooked at 58mins
- 4Szalai
- 14BollaBooked at 35minsSubstituted forVargaat 70'minutes
- 15KleinheislerSubstituted forGazdagat 82'minutesBooked at 88mins
- 13Schäfer
- 5Fiola
- 20SallaiSubstituted forSallóiat 66'minutes
- 10Szoboszlai
- 9Szalai
Substitutes
- 2Lang
- 7Sallói
- 8Cseri
- 11Varga
- 12Dibusz
- 16Gazdag
- 17Varga
- 18Tamas
- 19Hahn
- 21Schön
- 22Bogdán
- 23Nikolic
England
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Pickford
- 2Walker
- 5Stones
- 6Maguire
- 3Shaw
- 8Phillips
- 4RiceBooked at 54minsSubstituted forHendersonat 87'minutes
- 10SterlingBooked at 56mins
- 11MountSubstituted forLingardat 84'minutes
- 7GrealishSubstituted forSakaat 88'minutes
- 9Kane
Substitutes
- 12Trippier
- 13Johnstone
- 14Henderson
- 15Mings
- 16Coady
- 17Saka
- 18Alexander-Arnold
- 19Lingard
- 20James
- 21Bellingham
- 22Pope
- 23Bamford
- Referee:
- Cüneyt Çakir
- Attendance:
- 58,260
Match Stats
Home TeamHungaryAway TeamEngland
- Possession
- Home36%
- Away64%
- Shots
- Home4
- Away12
- Shots on Target
- Home1
- Away8
- Corners
- Home0
- Away6
- Fouls
- Home13
- Away10
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Hungary 0, England 4.
Post update
Raheem Sterling (England) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Daniel Gazdag (Hungary).
Booking
Daniel Gazdag (Hungary) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Harry Kane (England) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Daniel Gazdag (Hungary).
Substitution
Substitution, England. Bukayo Saka replaces Jack Grealish.
Substitution
Substitution, England. Jordan Henderson replaces Declan Rice.
Goal!
Goal! Hungary 0, England 4. Declan Rice (England) right footed shot from outside the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Jack Grealish.
Substitution
Substitution, England. Jesse Lingard replaces Mason Mount.
Substitution
Substitution, Hungary. Daniel Gazdag replaces László Kleinheisler.
Post update
Offside, England. Harry Kane tries a through ball, but Jack Grealish is caught offside.
Post update
Attempt saved. Dániel Sallói (Hungary) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by László Kleinheisler.
Post update
Corner, England. Conceded by Péter Gulácsi.
Post update
Attempt saved. Harry Kane (England) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Jack Grealish with a through ball.
Post update
Attempt saved. Raheem Sterling (England) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Luke Shaw.
Post update
Attempt missed. Dominik Szoboszlai (Hungary) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right from a direct free kick.
Post update
Foul by John Stones (England).
Post update
Ádám Szalai (Hungary) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Comments
Join the conversation
Well done to England for maintaining your composure and putting in a professional performance.
Keep taking the knee and highlighting inequalities.
Absolutely destroying Hungary was the best way to stick V’s up to a racist, disgraceful footballing country.
Because we all know the corrupt football bodies won’t have the guts to dish out total competition wide minimum 12 month bans to countries/teams repeatedly and obviously being racist.
Love from Wales
It’s called Hadrian’s Wall.
22:15
As a Hungarian I have to say the ultras are so not representative of my country and that 99pc of people are totally normal. I was ashamed
--
99% of Brits are normal too, but we have our share of idiots as well. I will condemn the actions of the minority in the crowd tonight, but I would not hold it against an entire nation.
This is the way England should be playing.
played ENGLAND.