That’s it for tonight’s blog. Thanks for your company and emails. See you next week - FOR THE WORLD CUP!
Here’s Gareth Southgate “What pleased me most is that [Rashford] enjoyed his football tonight – he played with a real swagger. As a Man United player he got booed at the start, and he was cheered off at the end. That tells you about his performance and I’m really pleased for him. His linking was good, his individuality was good, and it was a wonderful strike for the goal. Sometimes we forget how young he is.
“We know certain decisions we need to make [for the Tunisia game]. We need options and players who can change games when we’re out there. I’m really pleased with the three weeks’ preparation. [Interviewer: Do you know your team for the first game] Erm… I might sleep on it.”
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Here’s Danny Taylor’s match report from Elland Road
Marcus Rashford speaks! “I work on shots like that in training almost every day, so it’s rewarding when it comes off in a game. It was my best performance in an England shirt. I tried to enjoy myself - maybe I had a little bit more [freedom than at club level], but I still need to get in the box more.
“It means a lot to be in the squad but it’s my aim to go there and play a major part. We know how far we’ve come on in the last 18 months so these games are just an opportunity to show it to everyone. Anything’s possible in Russia, so we have to go there with the highest expectations.”
What would be your starting XI for Tunisia? This is what I think it will be: Pickford; Walker, Stones, Cahill; Alexander-Arnold, Dier, Young; Lingard, Alli; Sterling; Kane.
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Full time: England 2-0 Costa Rica
Peep peep! A comfortable win for England, in which Marcus Rashford was outstanding. He scored a belting first goal and helped create the second for the substitute Danny Welbeck. Trent Alexander-Arnold had a fine debut and Fabian Delph was quietly excellent. Those three, in particular, made a strong case to start against Tunisia in England’s first World Cup game.
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90 min Three minutes of added time.
89 min Maguire’s loose header falls to Campbell, whose imperfect control allows Delph to clear at the second attempt.
87 min A long spell of possession for Costa Rica. Eventually Matarrita whistles a shot from a tight angle that is comfortably saved by Pope.
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84 min The match is petering out. It’s been a good night for England, and particularly for Rashford, Delph and Alexander-Arnold.
82 min The stretching Bolanos volleys over from Matarrita’s deep left-wing cross.
81 min “Evening Rob,” says Paul Wilson. “Just wanted to congratulate Nick Pope on getting a run-out. He played for my beloved York City on loan in our run to the League 2 play-offs in 2014, and even then was among the best keepers I’ve seen. When we conceded a corner you never worried because Pope would just pluck it out of the air 10 feet above the penalty spot. Really pleased for him. Sadly, York have beyond wretched ever since his loan spell ended.”
80 min Lingard almost scores straight away. He was found by a nice pass from Alli and danced away from one challenge before hitting a shot that was deflected behind for a corner.
79 min Another England change: Lingard replaces Loftus-Cheek, who showed flashes of his devastating potential without consistently influencing the game.
GOAL! England 2-0 Costa Rica (Welbeck 76)
The trusty Danny Welbeck gets England’s second. Rashford, on the left, played a good short pass into the box for Alli. He opened his body and shaped a precise cross that was headed in from close range by the diving Welbeck.
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75 min Rose mishits a right-footed volley wide after good play for first Rashford and then Trippier. That was better from England.
74 min Delph, now playing in the deeper midfield role, has had an excellent game.
71 min Enough with the substitutions already. Costa Rica make another, with Ian Smith replacing Cristian Gamboa.
70 min “Evening Rob,” says Matt Loten. “I’d just like to predict that, on this performance, England will not win the World Cup. If we can get Henderson and Dier playing together in the same midfield, however...”
It’s Gerrard and Lampard all over again!
69 min When the free-kick is finally taken, Trippier whips it a few yards wide.
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69 min Another Costa Rica change: Tejeda replaces Guzman.
68 min Excellent play from Loftus-Cheek, who uses his strength to hold off two challenges before being fouled 25 yards from goal by Matarrita. Gonzalez is booked for dissent.
67 min The substitutions have disrupted the flow of the game, as you’d expect. If it stays like this I think England will be pretty happy, though they would like to have created more clear chances.
65 min Changes galore for England: Cahill, Alli, Pope and Trippier replace Alexander-Arnold, Henderson, Butland and Stones. So, Nick Pope makes his international debut; and Trent Alexander-Arnold leaves the field after a very impressive debut of his own. He is a serious contender to start against Tunisia a week on Monday.
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64 min Loftus-Cheek bursts forward from midfield but then picks the wrong option, hitting a tame shot wide from 25 yards.
62 min “I am a Liverpool fan,” says Ricky Gill. “I don’t rate Henderson’s ability to shield a defence too highly; however, he can spot a pass quicker than Dier and that allows England to play at a higher tempo. The matches when England play a double pivot with Henderson and Dier make for a... well “Dier” viewing. Pardon the pun.”
It’ll be interesting to see if he plays both against Belgium. I don’t think he will unless, say, England need a draw to qualify for the last 16.
61 min And a change for England: Welbeck replaces the subdued Vardy.
60 min A double change for Costa Rica: Matarrita and Bolanos on, Oviedo and Campbell off.
59 min “Evening Rob,” says Phil Sawyer. “A few accounts I read said that the turning point in 2014 was when Hodgson invited Gerrard to say a few words to the team and they were treated to a lengthy treatise on not going home having failed for England like previous tournaments he’d been involved in, which sucked the mood right out of the camp. Now, as a Liverpool supporter I love Gerrard to bits. But when it comes to taking the pressure off young shoulders, I rather prefer the input of an England manager who has been there and reacted to adversity by appearing in an advert with a paper bag over his head. At the end of the day (and I’m paraphrasing shamelessly from DaddyPig on the county cricket blog), it’s tremendously important, because it’s football. And it’s tremendously unimportant, because it’s football.”
Where did you read that? If it’s true, and given their form in recent seasons, I shudder to think what he’ll do to the morale of the Rangers players.
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58 min Campbell gets the wrong side of Maguire, who recovers to block the eventual shot from the edge of the area. Moments later, Gamboa belts a shot over the top from distance. Butland had that covered.
56 min A loose ball falls to Henderson, who sizzles a half-volley towards goal from 25 yards. It’s straight at Navas, who makes a bit of a mess of it but manages to shovel the ball behind for a corner. Alexander-Arnold takes it and picks out Maguire, whose header is kicked off the line.
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54 min Delph wakes England up with a surging run through midfield. Then Rashford is fouled by Waston for the 48th time tonight. Alexander-Arnold’s inswinging free-kick is cleared at the near post.
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51 min Urena’s deflected shot from the edge of the box is comfortably held by Butland. He has had so little to do in this game that he may literally start making saves in his sleep before the end.
50 min It’s been a slow start to the second half. Typical England: first half good, second half not so good.
48 min That’s a good stat from Clive Tydesley on ITV: in terms of caps, England will be the least experienced of the 32 squads in Russia. IS SOMETHING BRILLIANT HAPPENING?
47 min “Rashford definitely deserves a start ahead of Sterling on the basis of more end product,” says Ricky Gill. “I think there is also a case for starting Dier in defence and Henderson as the midfield pivot. Delph needs to stop dropping deep into that pivot role, he looks better further up the field rather than trying to occupy the same space as Henderson. As a wing back I think Trent Arnold is superior to Trippier. England will miss the energy and drive of AOC in the advanced CM position.”
I’m out on a limb here, but are you a Liverpool fan? (I do agree, particularly about Oxlade-Chamberlain.)
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46 min Peep peep! Costa Rica begin the second half.
“On Southgate and the press,” begins Alistair. “Remember, he got a right going over after missing that penalty in Euro 96, and still maintained an even keel. Obviously, managing England is another matter entirely, but I hope is prior experience inoculates him somewhat if things turn ugly in the future.”
I thought the press were fairly kind to him after Euro 96, though it’s possible I’ve misremembered the entire 1990s.
Half-time chit chat
“I haven’t seen Pogba or Sanchez look this threatening recently,” says Adam Hirst.
“Re Alistair’s praise for Southgate: agreed,” says George Chapman. “While I don’t think England have the experience to wow in Russia, there’s a sense Southgate could really improve things long-term and if this young squad continue to develop with their clubs (or elsewhere, eh Rashford?), by Euro 2020 we may actually have genuine cause for optimism.”
Half time: England 1-0 Costa Rica
Peep peep! England have controlled the game and deservedly lead through a spectacular goal from Marcus Rashford. See you in 10 minutes for the second half.
45 min Henderson sprays a fantastic crossfield pass to Alexander-Arnold, who takes it down nicely but then puts his cross too close to Navas. Alexander-Arnold has had a fine half. I think I would start him ahead of Trippier in Russia.
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43 min “Praise also has to go to Gareth Southgate, he seems to be going about things the right way,” says Alistair. “He has made some tough decisions concerning players like Rooney, and managed to do it without creating a lot of needless drama.”
Yes, he’s been so impressive in so many areas. It’ll be fascinating to see how he handles things when the press eventually turn on him.
41 min Campbell gets the wrong side of Maguire, comes back onto his left foot and flicks an attempted through pass that drifts out of play for a goalkick.
40 min What’s interesting about this Rashford performance, aside from the obvious, is that it has come in a roaming No10 role. He has hardly played there for club or country but he looks a natural.
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39 min Delph’s deep, outswinging corner from the left is headed back across goal by Maguire and hits the slightly unsighted Loftus-Cheek in the chest. Had he been able to control it he would have had a simple chance from six yards.
37 min Rashford wins another free-kick on the left wing. Alexander-Arnold’s excellent inswinger is cleared for a corner...
35 min I know he’s not to everyone’s taste, but when it comes to explaining tactics I think Glenn Hoddle is the best pundit on TV. He reads games so well.
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34 min England could potentially play Rashford and Sterling behind Kane in a 3-4-2-1 formation, but I’m sure Southgate will stick with this 3-3-2-1-1 shape.
32 min A brilliant pass down the left by Rashford finds Delph, who doesn’t make the most of it. Rashford has been quite majestic.
30 min The big winners so far have probably been Rashford, Delph, Rose and Alexander-Arnold, though I’m not sure it’ll change Gareth Southgate’s team for the first game. Maybe Rose will get in ahead of Young. And I won’t be surprised if Delph plays a part as the tournament progresses.
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29 min “Dear Rob,” says Steve Wingrove. “Re. your observation that there was a distinct drop in the number of goals in the knockout stages at the 2014, I think is an unfair slight on the hosts Brazil who did their level best to boost both all-round entertainment and the goal average by letting in a very respectable seven against Germany.”
27 min A rare Costa Rica break. Venegas works the ball onto his right foot and hits a good curling shot that is flapped away by the diving Butland. Decent save.
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24 min “Hey Rob,” asks JR in Illinois. “Do you happen to know why Rashford didn’t celebrate or even crack a smile after that goal? The only reason I can think why he would react in such a manner is that Mourinho has sucked the joy of life completely out of him.”
It looked more of a studied celebration: a goal like that’s no biggie, etc.
23 min Henderson, frustrated with his own poor touch, kicks the ball into the crowd and hits a young supporter. He apologises straight away.
22 min “As a Welshman, I’m not far enough removed to feign bemusement at the typical negativity and fatalism that surrounds England going into a tournament, but I don’t have any emotional investment in them, either,” says Matt Dony. “As a neutral, they look like a decent group of footballers. As Wales are taking a well-deserved fallow year following the heroics of 2016, I’m more than happy to see England do well. After all, these are players I watch week in, week out, and a strong England performance is good for the Premier League. Are they the best team in the world? No. But they have some genuinely exciting, young players. They are better than Greece in 2004, or Denmark in 92. I’m not expecting them to win the whole thing, but, hey, stranger things have happened... TL;DR England are above average. That’s to be applauded and supported.”
They’re the most likeable England team in a fair while, too.
20 min Vardy misses an excellent chance to make it 2-0. The corner was played short and dumped into the box. Maguire’s header found Vardy, whose close-range shot was smothered by Navas. Danny Mills would have scored that. In fairness to Vardy, the ball would not come down for him and that allows Navas to block the shot.
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19 min England are playing excellently. After a long spell of possession, Rashford skips past two players to win a corner. As Glenn Hoddle says, “he looks like he’s got the chains off and is enjoying playing for England”.
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17 min “In fairness to Mills (who’d have thought it...), there was that piece of analysis of Vardy’s penalty technique after he missed another from the spot (I think against Liverpool) that showed he did pretty much just put his head down and hit it as hard as he could,” says David Wall. “Not that you can extrapolate from that set piece situation to how he takes chances in open play generally though. Sometimes, like with general match commentary, it is better for a pundit to say nothing rather than say something daft just to fill air time.”
Yes, indeed: the Benaud paradox of modern commentary.
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15 min Rashford has started the game spectacularly. I don’t know if it’ll be enough to get him in the team for Tunisia - it’s realistically him or Raheem Sterling in the No10 role - but it’s nice to see him playing with such effervescence again.
Rashford received the ball 25 yards out, a long way to the right of centre. Hepushed the ball forward a couple of yards and then smashed a spectacular shot that wobbled like a beach ball as it sailed over Navas and into the far corner. That is some goal.
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GOAL! England 1-0 Costa Rica (Rashford 13)
Pick that out! Marcus Rashford has given England the lead with a storming goal.
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12 min England are playing some bright, breezy football. They look like they’re enjoying it and everything.
11 min “If Vardy isn’t a natural finisher,” says Phil Podolsky, “Romario and David Villa still are.”
Erroneous! But only because Romario was the most supernatural finisher I’ve ever seen, apart from Gerd Muller.
8 min The lively Rashford skins Weston with a thrilling, Ronaldinho-style elastico. Is that what it’s called? I’ll be honest, I’ve no idea. Anyway, he wins a corner, from which Jones’s looping header from 15 yards hits the top of the bar. Navas had it covered but it was a clever effort.
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6 min Rashford is actually playing behind Vardy, in the Sterling position, so England’s formation is the usual 3-3-2-1-1. It’s an intriguing system, if not the catchiest title for a magazine.
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4 min Rashford plays a neat one-two with Loftus-Cheek but then gives the ball away to Phil Jones, still up for the corner, and he loses possession.
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4 min Alexander-Arnold’s cross is sliced behind by Gonzalez for the first corner of the match. He takes it himself and it’s headed away at the near post.
3 min It’s been a confident, busy start by Costa Rica, whose team includes a chunk of the 2014 squad.
2 min “Hello Rob,” says Graham Randall. “That plonker Danny Mills said on the wireless earlier that Vardy ‘isn’t a natural finisher’ and just wallops the ball. If Vardy isn’t a natural finisher, who is?”
I’m sensing rancour.
1 min Peep peep! Marcus Rashford gets the game under way. England are in red, Costa Rica in white.
The players emerge from the tight Elland Road tunnel - “I’ve seen Wrighty throw a few punches in there!” says Lee Dixon on ITV - and into a brilliant atmosphere. They really should get away from Wembley more often.
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Gareth Southgate speaks! “Everybody’s in the frame. History tells us that the team that starts against Tunisia will probably change as the tournament goes on. The players have a good mentality and we have great competition for places in all positions.”
“Switzerland v Ukraine: the horror, the horror...” says David Hopkins. “Actually a good example of the problem with recent World Cups. The group stages are full of goals and people start talking about ‘the best ever’. Then the knockouts start and it’s down to an average of 0.6 goals per game.”
Yep, that was a particular problem in 2014. Not sure what can be done about it.
John Stones is the only survivor from the starting XI against Nigeria on Saturday. I’m sure most of tonight’s team are pencilled in as reserves, but a Gazza v Czechoslovakia performance could change that.
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A wee recommendation
If you loved the operatic drama of Italia 90, I recommend World in Motion by Simon Hart, a brilliant book that includes fresh interviews with the stars of the tournament: Toto Schillaci, Roger Milla, Sergio Goycochea, the late Benjamin Massing, Pete Davies. It’ll make you happy.
An email! “There is something about a World Cup that cuts through all the stuff surrounding it (or some would argue, overshadows important issues that need addressing),” says David Wall. “Like ice cream, even when it’s bad it’s good. But there’s an exception to that ice cream rule of thumb: bubblegum flavour is truly disgusting, and it’s better to go without. Do you think there is a World Cup equivalent?”
I suppose it depends whether you’re talking objectively (2002) or subjectively (2014). I absolutely loved the last three World Cups, and then they started. But that might just be because 2006 was when it became work. And I know, I know, I know how lucky I am, but you do see the World Cup through slightly different eyes after you’ve liveblogged Switzerland 0-0 Ukraine.
Team news
England (3-3-2-1-1) Butland; Jones, Stones, Maguire; Alexander-Arnold, Henderson, Rose; Loftus-Cheek, Delph; Rashford; Vardy.
Subs: everyone else
Costa Rica (3-4-2-1) Navas; Waston, Gonzalez, Calvo; Gamboa, Guzman, Borges, Oviedo; Venegas, Campbell; Urena.
Subs: behave
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Preamble
Hello. No matter how old you are, certain things will always remind you of the sheer joy of childhood: being told off by your Mum, having your head flushed down the toilet - and the World Cup. We’re seven days away from Russia 2018. And no matter how loud the rational voice in our head protests that it’s a corporate disgrace that will be full of racism and technology, the little voice says: IT’S THE BLOODY WORLD CUP.
Tonight at Elland Road, plucky England play 2014 quarter-finalists Costa Rica in their last friendly before they head to Russia. After the Expected Wins of 2006 and 2010, the England national team are enjoying an Age of Realism. Most fans accept the last 16 is about par, the quarter-finals would be a good achievement and the semi-finals would justify an open top bus tour.
For all the limitations of England’s young side, they are still clear seventh favourites for the tournament. I’m aware of how utterly ridiculous the phrase ‘clear seventh favourites’ sounds, but I know where you live so don’t be getting too smart the point is that there aren’t many outstanding teams in international football. It’s an exciting, open tournament.
The concern is that the press will get giddy when England demolish Tunisia 1-0 in the opening game and the whole thing will end with Raheem Sterling and/or Raheem Sterling being slaughtered when they go out of the tournament. For now, everyone is happy, so let’s enjoy the feelgood vibe of this entirely meaningless warm-up match!
Kick off is at 8pm.
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