England has been relegated from the Nations League Tier A after another defeat to Italy at the San Siro on Friday, September 23.
After four matches, The Three Lions went into the match with only 2 points and were rocked bottom of League A, Group 3.
Napoli striker Giacomo Raspadori coiled a beautiful strike, which gave Nick Pope no chance, into the bottom corner to secure a win for Italy.
England, thrown into a frenzy, pushed to find an equalizer without a breakthrough. Tottenham forward Harry Kane had one of the best chances of the game but blew it away.
Italy nearly doubled the lead after Dimarco hit the post before the ball bounced off for a goal kick.
England needed to win the match to retain hopes of surfing relegation. It was a nightmare for the team as they had to settle for yet another defeat, confirming their relegation.
The Three Lions’ road to relegation
On June 4, 2022, the Puskas Arena Park in Hungary, England, opened their UEFA Nations League campaign with a defeat to the Hungarians.
Despite dominating and pushing their host back from the box, England lost the match after Szoboszlai converted in the 66th minute to give Hungary the lead and defended the narrow lead till the final whistle.
Afterward, Gareth Southgate took his squad to the Allianz Arena to face Germany for the second fixture.
The Germans proved a more formidable opponent for England, but the first half ended in a barren draw, with Germany dominating the game.
Germany’s effort yielded results in the 50th minute, with Hofmann giving the host the lead. England responded well but late into the second half in the 88th minute, with Tottenham forward Harry Kane converting a spot kick.
Both sides shared the spoils after the game ended in a 1-1 draw.
The next stop for Southgate was a home match against Italy at the Molineux Stadium. Despite dominating the game and overwhelming the Italians, a slew of wasted chances resulted in a barn draw again.
Gareth Southgate and his team have played three matches so far and were yet to record a win, with pressure from the Three Lions fans mounting.
The last straw that nearly broke the Camel’s back was the game against the Hungarians still at the Molineux stadium.
England ripped off Hungary and dominated proceedings but could not find the back of the net.
Salai 16th minute strike swung the visitors into a surprise lead. England’s attempt to find an equalizer in the first half failed.
The second half was dramatic; Salai completed his brace in the 70th minute to double the lead before Nagi’s 80th-minute strike made it 3-0. In the 82nd minute, Manchester City defender John Stones was red-carded.
The team was more confused than ever, with Southgate appearing clueless on the touchlines as he watched the Hungarians mangle the team.
In the 89th minute, Gazdag deepened the defeat by making it 4-0. Gareth Southgate suffered a heavy loss. In four matches, England was without a win and was bottom of the group.
The team teetered on the brink of relegation, with fans calling for Southgate to be relieved of his role after a run of abysmal results.
Nevertheless, the Three Lions still had a chance to upturn their misfortunes before Friday’s clash with Italy.
England went into San Siro with a squad heavily criticized by football analysts. Manchester United duo Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw, including Jack Grealish, of Manchester City, made Southgate’s list despite struggling for game time in their respective clubs.
The Three Lions were less clinical in the final third, despite dominating possession and paid heavily for it when Raspadori’s 68th-minute beauty sank the team.
As things stand, England has been confirmed relegated with a game in hand against Germany.
Pressure is mounting with fans calling on the FA to sack Gareth Southgate after the defeat to Italy.
England head coach Gareth Southgate Reacts After Defeat
Speaking at post-match press conference, Gareth southgate admitted that ”there is going to be lot of noise” and the “pressures will be on him,” but he will stick with what has been working for the team in the “previous tournaments.”
England plays Germany in the next fixture – a game that could be seen as a moral booster game ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup as they have nothing at stake after being confirmed relegated.
