Hungary 1-0 England: Dominik Szoboszlai penalty sees Three Lions lose Nations League opener in Budapest

Hungary opened UEFA Nations League Group A3 with a historic 1-0 victory over England in Budapest.

England had most of the ball in the first half, but Hungary had the chances. Jordan Pickford saved well from Dominik Szoboszlai but was almost lobbed from 50 yards later in the half by Adam Szalai.

Midway through the second half Hungary won a penalty after Adam Nagy was fouled by substitute Reece James. Szoboszlai coolly converted the spot kick, and England laboured thereafter without finding an equaliser.

Hungary will now play Italy in Cesena on Tuesday, while England travel to Munich to face Germany.

This game was originally going to be played behind closed doors, after Raheem Sterling and Jude Bellingham were racially abused during a match between these two teams in September. A UEFA loophole allowed children to attend the match with supervision, and although the game was not surrounded by the poisonous atmosphere of ten months ago the jeering of the England players taking the knee before kick-off was a depressing opening to what would be a famous victory. When pressed on this by Channel 4 reporters, UEFA declined to comment. The governors of the game in Europe have had a miserably inefficient week in addressing issues promptly.

He’s the poster boy of Hungarian football, and Szoboszlai’s presence here was as crucial as his absence from the European Championship. His intelligent movement should have yielded more goals, particularly from a couple of first half chances, but his calmly taken penalty secured a famous victory for Hungary.

Hungary (3-4-2-1): Gulacsi 7; Lang 6, Orban 6, Attila Szalai 7; Nego 7, Schafer 5, Adam Nagy 6, Zsolt Nagy 7; Sallai 6, Szoboszlai 8; Adam Szalai 7

SUBS: Kleinheisler 7, Styles 6, Fiola 6, Adam 6, Vecsei 6

England (3-4-3): Pickford 7; Walker 6, Maguire 5, Coady 7; Alexander-Arnold 5, Rice 6, Bellingham 6, Justin 6; Bowen 6, Kane 7, Mount 5

SUBS: Saka 7, Grealish 6, Stones 6, James 5, Phillips 6

12’ BIG CHANCE! Hungary almost take the lead! A raking switch of play finds Nego on the right; he fires a delicious, low volleyed cross into the area, and Szoboszlai arrives to side-foot the ball at goal. Pickford just about gets something on it, and Coady races back to boot the ball clear before it crosses the line.

32’ CHEEKY! Hello, Pele! England cough the ball up in the centre circle and it breaks to Adam Szalai. He shoots first time, with Pickford way off his line; the ball clears England's goalkeeper, but drifts a yard wide of the post. What a great effort!

64’ PENALTY TO HUNGARY! My my! A long ball over the top to the left of the area gets Nagy in behind James. Nagy gets the first, cuts in and goes down as James puts his arm across. Yellow for James, and it stands!

66’ GOAL! HUNGARY 1 (SZOBOSZLAI PEN. 66) ENGLAND 0 It's a lovely penalty from Szoboszlai, who takes a slow run-up before drilling it low to the bottom left. Pickford went the right way, but was well beaten. England aren't happy about the award of the penalty, but it's academic now and Hungary lead!

89’ SO CLOSE! Grealish tries to barrel his way through on the left of the area. He loses the ball but it breaks to Kane, who bullets a shot at goal that crashes into the side-netting wide of goal. Gulacsi was beaten there.