Italy vs England LIVE: Nations League result, final score and reaction as Azzurri win to relegate England
Italy 1-0 England: Three Lions relegated from Group A thanks to Giacomo Raspadori’s goal
England suffered the ignominy of relegation from the Nations League’s top tier after a tepid defeat to Italy that raises further concern ahead of the winter World Cup.
Among the favourites to triumph in Qatar having reached the semi-finals four years ago and the Euro 2020 final, things have gone awry for Gareth Southgate’s side of late.
England failed to win any of their four June fixtures and produced a meek response to their 4-0 Molineux mauling against Hungary, with Giacomo Raspadori sealing Roberto Mancini’s Italy a 1-0 victory on Friday night.
A fifth straight match without a win means Southgate’s men have been relegated from Group A of the Nations League - a competition they finished third in three years ago - with a game to spare. Demotion is embarrassing but the performance is arguably of more concern given it is just 59 days until their World Cup opener against Iran.
Relive the action from the San Siro as Italy defeat England in the Nations League:
England slip to dispiriting Italy defeat to suffer Nations League relegation
If this was Gareth Southgate refusing to compromise, what are the alibis? What are the excuses? This is no longer the summer, nor “just the Nations League”. It isn’t even a result of England football team’s ongoing failure to win in this country since 1961, since this wasn’t even a particularly strong Italy football team.
It no longer looks like a strong England.
And that, more than anything, is why this is now a big problem. There is more going on here than a bad run at the wrong time.
Southgate’s side look stale and disconnected, just as they come to a tournament that the Football Association had long targeted as the culmination of an era.
England slip to dispiriting Italy defeat to suffer Nations League relegation
Italy 1-0 England: Giacomo Raspadori fired home in the second half to condemn the Three Lions to defeat in Milan
FT Italy 1-0 England
England’s game against Germany is now a dead rubber in terms of the Nations League. Germany can’t win the group and England have been relegated.
It’s also the last game England will play before the World Cup and Gareth Southgate has so many problems to solve. England are tepid, slow and not decisive enough.
With the talent at their disposal England should be dominating games but something isn’t working.
Full-time: Italy 1-0 England
90+6 mins: There’s the final whistle! England have been defeated in Italy. They’ve lost their three of their last five matches now and haven’t won during that run.
The Germany game in Monday is huge now and they’ll want to win it in order to take some momentum into the World Cup.
That defeat also sees England relegated to League B in the Nations League.
Italy 1-0 England
90+3 mins: Declan Rice takes a shot from range but only sends it down the throat of Donnarumma.
Jack Grealish then collects a yellow card and will now miss the Germany game on Monday.
Italy 1-0 England
90 mins: Six minutes of added time to play. Can England get themselves an equaliser?
Italy 1-0 England
87 mins: Close! Di Lorenzo slides the ball into the box for Cristante who rolls the ball onto his left foot and drills an effort wide of the back post. He needs to hit the target there.
Italy 1-0 England
84 mins: It should be 2-0! Manolo Gabbiadini runs in behind the England defence far too easily and is denied by Nick Pope. England are facing five games without a win here, something that hasn’t happened since 2014.
They’re also going to get relegated from the top tier of the Nations League.
Italy 1-0 England
81 mins: Into the final 10 minutes at the San Siro and England are still chasing the game. Grealish evades a tackle and manages to set the ball over to Bellingham.
He twists onto his weaker left-foot and lets fly from the edge of the box. The midfielder slips as he shoots and the ball flies wide of the nearest post.
Italy 1-0 England
78 mins: Di Lorenzo goes in the book for a late challenge on Jack Grealish who wins a free kick just outside the left side of the Italian penalty area.
Reece James looks to be the man who’ll swing this one into the box. He does but whips the effort straight at Donnarumma who punches it clear.
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