Ireland Heimir Hallgrimsson boss could not hide his frustration after seeing Harry Kane inspire England to a huge win over his side.
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Ireland suffer 'embarrassing' 5-0 loss to EnglandHallgrimsson labels collapse as 'six minutes of madness'Ireland finish third in Nations League Division B groupFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱AFPWHAT HAPPENED?
Ireland were showed quality in the first half, and will perhaps feel they deserved a goal after Kyle Walker tripped brought down Sammie Szmodics who was clean through, but the referee saw it as an accident and waved play on. Ireland were relatively toothless in all subsequent attacks, but England couldn't find a way through, and Ireland still had a chance to deny their island neighbors the chance of promotion back into the top tier of Nations League football.
However, Hallgrimsson's plan would fall apart before his eyes early in the second half, as a lapse in concentration would set the tone for the rest of Ireland's night.
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Ireland, who suffered a 2-0 defeat to England at their Dublin home ground in September, had gone into the break at 0-0, following some brave first half defending. However, their total collapse began just six minutes after the break, as Liam Scales brought down Jude Bellingham in the penalty area after a stunning pass from Harry Kane, earning himself a red card in the process after receiving a yellow in the first period.
Converted by Kane, the penalty ushered in a wave of England attacks, and a positive tsunami of Irish indecision. Just three minutes later a Declan Rice cross was cleared into Josh Cullen by Nathan Collins and fell to Anthony Gordon, who dispatched his finish into the corner on the volley to double Ireland's misery.
England's third came two minutes later, as a header was flicked on at the near post by Marc Guehi all too easily, and Conor Gallagher, waiting at the back post was able to apply the final touch. Jarrod Bowen and Taylor Harwood-Bellis compounded Ireland's misery by scoring number four and five, but Hallgrimsson will be ruing those six particular minutes after Kane's defence-splitting pass that saw his side played out of London.
WHAT HEIMIR HALLGRIMSSON SAID
In his post match interview, Hallgrimsson stated: "I’m lost for words. Six minutes of madness. It was a shock, conceding a penalty, conceding a goal and losing a player. We probably lost our heads. [Looking for] excuses when you lose 5-0 is kind of pathetic. It is embarrassing to lose 5-0."
DID YOU KNOW?
Ireland have only beaten England twice in their history; the first was a 2-0 friendly win in September of 1949, and the second was a famous 1-0 European Championship victory in 1988.
