Hungary stunned hosts Germany with a 1-0 win courtesy of Adam Szalai’s sensational heel flick on Friday to stay on course for a Nations League final four spot with one game left to play.
The 34-year-old Hungary captain, who will end his international career after their last League A-Group 3 game against Italy on Monday, raced to the near post and flicked the ball into the net with his heel from a corner in the 17th minute to leave goalkeeper Marc Andre ter Stegen frozen on the spot.
Hungary, who also beat England 4-0 away in June for the host’s worst home defeat for 94 years, are top on 10 points and will battle for the group spoils against Italy, who are second on eight after beating England 1-0 on Friday.
“Adam Szalai really deserves all the praise,” said Hungary’s Italian coach Marco Rossi.
“In the first half we performed well, in the second we had to defend very deep.
“We can crown it all in the match against the Italians. It will be a special match for me against Italy. We are happy that we got 10 points from five matches. No one believed that.”
Germany, in third place on six points, suffered their first defeat under coach Hansi Flick in their penultimate game before the World Cup in November, and cannot qualify for the Nations League final four. England are bottom on two and relegated.
“The first half was very disappointing,” Germany captain Thomas Mueller said after the match.
“We made far too many mistakes and you could feel that many in their clubs are not going through the easiest phase.”
Raspadori strikes
England’s sorry run continued as Giacomo Raspadori’s 68th-minute strike gave Italy a deserved 1-0 win that relegated the shot-shy visitors to the second tier League B.
There was precious little to provide optimism for England’s fans with Qatar only two months away but at least they will be going, unlike Italy, still trying to come to terms with their failure to qualify for the second World Cup in a row either side of winning the European Championship.
In a game of few chances at the San Siro, the hosts looked the more ambitious side and settled the game through Raspadori’s crisp finish.
