\n21 min: <\/strong>The first yellow of the afternoon is awarded to Schafer, as he nudges Justin, racing after a Kane pass down the left, from behind. A free kick in a very dangerous area, just outside the Hungary box.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n\n\n19 min:<\/strong> Six yards out, Mount nearly gets a head on Kane’s bouncing right-wing cross. Any sort of connection and that was surely flying into the net.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n\n\n18 min:<\/strong> Hungary try to play out from the back and balls it up in the royal style. Bellingham takes up possession and feeds Kane, who in turn finds Justin down the inside-left channel. Justin’s low fizzer of a cross is claimed by Gulacsi, with Bowen not far from getting a toe to it. It’s a nice, open, entertaining game.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n\n\n17 min: <\/strong>Bowen wins another corner down the left. Alexander-Arnold loops towards the far post, inviting Coady to head home from close range. Coady misses the target. It’s been a mixed bag from Alexander-Arnold so far, all right.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n\n\n16 min: <\/strong>Nego is causing England all sorts of bother down the right. He curls long towards the far post for Adam Nagy, who ghosts past an unaware Alexander-Arnold but doesn’t connect properly. Goal kick, and England breathe again.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n\n\n14 min:<\/strong> In other Nations League news: Oh Ireland.<\/p>\n <\/figure>\n<\/article>\n\n\n12 min: <\/strong>This would have been even lovelier! Adam Nagy quarterbacks a first-time spray right for Nego, who fires an immediate low cross into the England box. Szoboszlai gets in ahead of both Pickford and Coady on the penalty spot, slotting the ball under the keeper and towards the open goal. Coady hares after it and hooks off the line. Stunning football all round!<\/p>\n<\/article>\n\n\n11 min: <\/strong>Alexander-Arnold sidefoots a first-time cushioned cross in from the right. Bowen attempts a spectacular bicycle kick but doesn’t connect properly. That would have been a lovely goal.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n\n\n10 min:<\/strong> Rice finds his West Ham team-mate Bowen down the left. Bowen forces a corner, which Alexander-Arnold takes. This delivery’s much better, sent dangerously into the mixer, though headed clear well by Orban.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n\n\n9 min:<\/strong> The young crowd continue to fill the Puskas Arena with excited noise. Remember the vuvuzelas? Well, them<\/em>. <\/p>\n<\/article>\n\n\n7 min: <\/strong>Alexander-Arnold sends the corner over everyone’s head and out for a goal kick. It’s been a busy, if mixed, start for the Liverpool wingback.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n\n\n6 min: <\/strong>Alexander-Arnold very nearly releases Bowen down the right with a shoveled pass. Not quite. England come again, Walker trying to find Justin down the left with a raking diagonal pass. Nego is forced to head behind for the first corner of the game.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n\n\n4 min: <\/strong>A bit of space down the left for Kane, who enters the box and tries to catch out Gulasci with a snappy curler. It’s always heading wide right, but not by too much. A decent effort by Kane, who is searching for his 50th international goal di lui this evening.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n\n\n2 min: <\/strong>Alexander-Arnold ships possession, allowing Sallai to stride down the middle. His shot di lui goes straight down Pickford’s throat, and though the keeper coughs it back up in the cat-and-bolus-of-fur style, he smothers at second attempt.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n\n\nHungary get the ball rolling … <\/strong>and so much for the previously respectful atmosphere, which curdles a little as England’s taking of the knee is given the unambiguous bird. Bah. There’s no room for racism.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n\n\n… but before kick-off, a minute of applause in memory of former Hungary midfielder Istv\u00e1n Sz\u0151ke, who died earlier this week at the age of 75.<\/strong> Sz\u0151ke’s goals helped Hungary to the semi-finals of Euro 72.<\/p>\n\n <\/picture><\/div> <\/svg><\/span>The players and fans pay their respects to Istv\u00e1n Sz\u0151ke.<\/span> Photograph: Bernadett Szab\u00f3 \/ Reuters<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\nUpdated at 12.09 EDT<\/time><\/p>\n<\/footer>\n<\/article>\n\n\nThe teams are out! <\/strong>TO fantastic<\/em> atmosphere at the Pusk\u00e1s Ar\u00e9na in Budapest, as the 30,000-odd young fans let in with their guardians give it plenty<\/em>. A signal and total lack of unpleasant nonsense, with both anthems respected. I believe the children are our future, as Whitney once sang. We’ll be off in a minute!<\/p>\n\n <\/picture><\/div> <\/svg><\/span>School children cheer prior to kick-off.<\/span> Photograph: Attila Kisbenedek \/ AFP \/ Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\nUpdated at 12.01 EDT<\/time><\/p>\n<\/footer>\n<\/article>\n\n\nHungary will be wearing their famous cherry red shirts.<\/strong> That allows England to run out in their first-choice white, all laid out nicely here by the kitman. Note the rainbow captain’s armband that will be worn by Harry Kane to celebrate Pride Month.<\/p>\n\n <\/picture><\/div> <\/svg><\/span>Kit and caboodle.<\/span> Photograph: Eddie Keogh \/ The FA \/ Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/article>\n\n\nGareth Southgate talks to new England rights holder Channel 4. <\/strong>After suffering some excruciating forced banter regarding his famous Russia 2018 waistcoat and various subsequent touchline fashion choices – including two<\/em> questions about today’s navy suit, both met with slightly confused pregnant pauses – the very patient and polite England boss eventually gets to talk about the match itself: \u201cWe’re looking forward to the game. It’s a very different sort of atmosphere, it’s been very nice having all the schoolkids in. Both the previous Nations League events – one very successful, one not so successful – we’ve learned both times so much from the matches. You’ve got to test yourself against the best teams. These next four games in particular, have very different tests and tactical challenges. We need to find out about one or two players. We tried to pick a team with some lads that have motivation to prove something, but also some experience around them so they can perform at their best. “<\/p>\n <\/figure>\n\nUpdated at 11.37 EDT<\/time><\/p>\n<\/footer>\n<\/article>\n\n\nHungary may have some glorious history against England\u2026 but they’ve had nothing to boast about since a 2-1 win at the 1962 World Cup in Chile. <\/strong>The two countries have played each other 15 times since then, with England winning on 12 occasions and the other three matches ending in draws. If the Three Lions roar again tonight, Gareth Southgate will become the first England manager to win consecutive matches in Hungary. Walter Winterbottom’s head would be spinning at the very thought. Here’s how this fixture unfolded the last time it was played …<\/p>\n <\/figure>\n… and here’s what happened the last time the teams met.<\/p>\n <\/figure>\n<\/article>\n\n\nYou’ll have heard there’s been a bit of a ticketing brouhaha.<\/strong> The Hungarian FA have exploited some loopholes in Uefa regulations, inviting 36,000 young fans to a game nominally being played behind closed doors as a punishment for discriminatory behavior. Nick Ames explains\u2026<\/p>\n <\/figure>\n\u2026 Though attendance fiascos are nothing new when it comes to this fixture. Back in 1954, over 800,000 applications were made for tickets, with the N\u00e9pstadion’s capacity just 80,000. The Manchester Guardian picks up the story: <\/p>\n
\n <\/svg>Some factories, mines and building sites with good production results were allotted a few paid tickets to be drawn for manual workers. As this left the intellectuals in the cold, one of them wrote to the Sports Minister:<\/p>\n‘While warmly approving the concession to Stakhanovites, I suggest that some encouragement be given to brain-workers who are keen on football. Though unable to prove that the game is a passion of mine, I herewith display notable cerebral activity.<\/p>\n
‘The crowd at big matches at the leading Budapest stadium is invariably stated to be 80,000. This news has for years gone unheeded. If you directed that, at the forthcoming match between Hungary and England, the crowd should number 80,001, the news would be pronted all over the world, resulting in excellent propaganda for our country. I need hardly say that I would willingly be the 80,001st spectator, and that I am at your entire disposal for collecting the ticket. ‘<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
The attendance was later reported to be 92,000.<\/strong> The Guardian didn’t record whether this high-handed chancer was one of the extra 12,000.<\/p>\n\nUpdated at 12.08 EDT<\/time><\/p>\n<\/footer>\n<\/article>\n\n\nThe teams<\/h2>\n<\/header>\n<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/article>\n\n\nJarrod Bowen and James Justin make their England debuts in a side showing eight changes from the friendly win over Ivory Coast in March.<\/strong> Harry Kane and Mason Mount return, Jordan Pickford pulls the gloves back on, and Trent Alexander-Arnold, Kyle Walker and Conor Coady come into the defense. Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham retain their spots in midfield, as does Harry Maguire at the back.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n\n\nPreamble<\/h2>\n<\/header>\n November 25 1953, and Ferenc Pusk\u00e1s, S\u00e1ndor Kocsis, N\u00e1ndor Hidegkuti, Zolt\u00e1n Czibor, J\u00f3zsef Bozsik, Gyula Grosics et al rock up to Wembley, where they set about putting English football firmly in its place. <\/strong>You’d have thought the 6-3 humiliation visited upon Walter Winterbottom’s team would have led to a period of reflection, regrouping and realignment\u2026 but no. England blithely put the thrashing down to a bad day at the office, and few lessons were learned. Off to the N\u00e9pstadion they went, six months later, to play the return fixture on May 23 1954 with pretty much exactly the same tactical plan. Here’s how that panned out, then, in the words of the pre-MBM-era Manchester Guardian.<\/p>\nGOAL! Hungary 1-0 England (Lantos 8):<\/strong> \u201cLantos took a free kick ten yards outside the penalty area and with a drive which had to be seen to be believed, put the ball high into the corner of the net. It crashed in like a bullet. “<\/p>\nGOAL! Hungary 2-0 England (Pusk\u00e1s 22): <\/strong>\u201cContinued pressure by the faster and more dangerous Hungarians brought a second goal when Pusk\u00e1s netted after the ball rebounded from a defender. At this stage the home players were now doing almost as they liked. “<\/p>\nGOAL! Hungary 3-0 England (Kocsis 31):<\/strong> \u201cAfter several dangerous moves on both flanks, Hungary became three up when Kocsis scored from close range. The English defense was all sixes and sevens against the precise passing and beautiful positional play of the Hungarians. “<\/p>\nGOAL! Hungary 4-0 England (Koscis 56):<\/strong> \u201cThen came a brilliant spell during which Hungary scored three goals in four minutes. The man who did all the damage was Czibor, the tricky, speedy outside-left, though he did not get one of them. Czibor first of all flicked a neat pass to Kocsis and the inside-right scored after a lovely run on the left\u2026 “<\/p>\nGOAL! Hungary 5-0 England (T\u00f3th 60): <\/strong>“… Czibor then put T\u00f3th through for a fifth …”<\/p>\nGOAL! Hungary 6-0 England (Hidegkuti 62): <\/strong>“\u2026 And finally Hidegkuti sent in a terrific shot just inside the upright from a perfect Czibor pass from his outside left.”<\/p>\nGOAL! Hungary 6-1 England (Broadis 69): <\/strong>“England did not give up the battle and Broadis got a lovely goal from the edge of the area with a hard shot wide of the keeper.”<\/p>\nGOAL! Hungary 7-1 England (Pusk\u00e1s 73): <\/strong>“Hungary’s captain broke away in the center and shot past Merrick after disposing of the rest of the English defense.”<\/p>\nFULL TIME: Hungary 7-1 England. <\/strong>Oh Walter! The result stands as England’s biggest-ever defeat, although: Hungary’s golden team somehow conspired to lose that year’s World Cup final; England went on to win the World Cup a dozen years later; the English are firm favorites to come away with all three points from Budapest tonight. But some stains never wash away, and good luck avoiding talk of 1954 whenever this fixture is played during the next few centuries. It’s just the way things have to be. Kick off at Pusk\u00e1s Ar\u00e9na Park is at 5pm BST. <\/strong>It’s on!<\/p>\n