Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

England scores double digits to thrash world's lowest-ranked team San Marino

England scores double digits to thrash world's lowest-ranked team San Marino

There's David against Goliath, and then there's this.

San Marino, officially the lowest-ranked football nation in the world, was thrashed 10-0 by a ruthless England side in a World Cup qualifying match on Monday.

The disparity between both sides was obvious even before a ball was kicked.

Gareth Southgate's England side was runner-up at Euro 2020 and boasts a side bulging with elite talent.

The host, meanwhile, has a population of fewer than 40,000 people and has won just once in its last 186 matches.

England needed only a point to secure a place at Qatar 2022, but handed its opponent a punching defeat which raises questions about the credibility of such a fixture.

"Rapidly falling out of love with watching international football barring the big tournaments," tweeted former England striker Michael Owen about the ridiculousness of the mismatch.

"I think a lot of people feel the same way. Half of these games are absolutely pointless. A restructure is needed."

Harry Kane celebrates as England thrashes San Marino.


Harry Kane, widely considered one of the best strikers in world football, scored four goals in the first half against defenders who play the game part-time.

Manchester United captain Harry Maguire, Bukayo Saka, Tyrone Mings and Tammy Abraham all got on the scoresheet; Emile Smith Rowe also scored on his full international debut as England set a record for its biggest win in a competitive match.

The night was made even worse for San Marino, which also scored an own goal, after Dante Rossi was sent off midway through the second half.

'We can't do anything about the opposition'


Despite yet another defeat, San Marino players will always remember sharing a pitch with some of the game's biggest stars, but questions may also be raised about the ease of England's victory.

In 2019, the USWNT was criticized for humiliating Thailand during a 13-0 win at the Women's World Cup.

"I love the motivation our players are giving every match, even though they know they're going to lose. I will support San Marino till the day that I die," said a San Marino Twitter account.

Despite the inevitability of the result, it capped off an impressive qualifying campaign for England, which tops Group I having scored 38 goals -- its highest goal tally in any European or World Cup qualifying campaign.

Kane scored four goals in the first half.


The game will give England's attacking players a confidence boost with Kane moving joint-third in the list of the country's all-time goalscorers on 48.

The 28-year-old also set a record for the most England goals in a calendar year with 16.

"I've got to credit all of our players on a really good year," Southgate said after the match.

"We can't do anything about the opposition, but the mentality of the way they played tonight was terrific."

On Kane's records, the England manager said: "He's a phenomenal goalscorer, but he's not had the opportunity in games where there have been lots of goals available.

"He took that chance tonight."

Italy in trouble


Elsewhere, Euro 2020 champion Italy failed to qualify automatically for the World Cup after a shock 0-0 draw against Northern Ireland.

On a frustrating evening for Roberto Mancini's side, Switzerland topped Group C with a 4-0 victory against Bulgaria.

Italy's hopes of being at next year's tournament now hinge on the playoffs, from which only three teams out of 12 will qualify.

The Azzurri failed to secure a place at the 2018 World Cup the last time they competed in the playoffs after losing to Sweden over two legs.

"We can't do anything about it now, we have this game in March and will try to give our best," Italy coach Roberto Mancini told RAI Sport.

"At the moment we are struggling to score goals, despite dominating possession. Northern Ireland put everyone in defense and we struggle to break sides like that down."

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Trump Says Ukraine Can Fully Restore Borders with NATO Backing
Europe Signals Stronger Support for Taiwan at Major Taipei Defence Show
Germany Weighs Excluding France from Key European Fighter Jet Programme
Cyberattack Disrupts Check-in and Boarding Systems at Major European Airports
Björn Borg Breaks Silence: Memoir Reveals Addiction, Shame and Cancer Battle
When Extremism Hijacks Idealism: How the Baader-Meinhof Gang Emerged and Fell
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
Trump Orders $100,000 Fee on H-1B Visas and Launches ‘Gold Card’ Immigration Pathway
France’s Looming Budget Crisis and Political Fracture Raise Fears of Becoming Europe’s “Sick Man”
Three Russian MiG-31 Jets Breach Estonian Airspace in ‘Unprecedentedly Brazen’ NATO Incident
European manufacturers against ban on polluting cars: "The industry may collapse"
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
The Country That Got Too Rich? Public Spending Dominates Norway Election
EU Proposes Phasing Out Russian Oil and Gas by End of 2027 to End Energy Dependence
More Than 150,000 Followers for a Fictional Character: The New Influencers Are AI Creations
EU Prepares for War
Trump Threatens Retaliatory Tariffs After EU Imposes €2.95 Billion Fine on Google
Tesla Board Proposes Unprecedented One-Trillion-Dollar Performance Package for Elon Musk
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
Big Tech Executives Laud Trump at White House Dinner, Unveil Massive U.S. Investments
Tether Expands into Gold Sector with Profit-Driven Diversification
×