Thomas Tuchel’s England maintained their positive momentum with a comfortable 3-0 win over Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night.
The Three Lions boss had been criticised for his squad selection for this month’s internationals, with Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish among the high-profile absentees. But Tuchel wanted to build on the impressive win over Serbia in September – and his side did just that against their outclassed neighbours.
England blew Wales away in the first 20 minutes, with Morgan Rogers tucking in Marc Guehi’s cutback and Ollie Watkins tapping home at the back post before Bukayo Saka curled in a beauty to make it 3-0. It was the quickest England had reached that scoreline in 38 years.
Player ratings
England Pickford (7), Konsa (7), Stones (7) Guehi (7), Spence (7), Anderson (7), Rice (7), Rogers (8), Saka (8), Watkins (7), Gordon (7).
Subs: Rashford (6), Henderson (6), Gibbs-White (6), Loftus-Cheek (6), Bowen (6), Lewis-Skelly (6).
Wales: Darlow (5), Williams (5), Rodon (6), Davies (5) Dasilva (5), Ampadu (6), Brooks (6), Cullen (5), Wilson (6), Johnson (5), Moore (6).
Subs: Mepham (6), James (6), Sheehan (6), Kpakio (6), Harris (6), Koumas (6).
Player of the Match: Morgan Rogers (England)
Watkins – playing in place of the injured Harry Kane – should have had another, somehow diverting the ball over the bar from a yard out before painfully colliding with a post. That blow forced him off at the break, and Tuchel will hope to have one of his two out-and-out strikers fit and ready for Tuesday’s trip to Latvia.
Image:
Ollie Watkins scores England’s second goal against Wales
That World Cup qualifier, and Wales’ key home game with Belgium on Monday, came to the fore in the second half, as a string of substitutions reduced the tempo after Rogers had hit the bar and David Brooks finally recorded a shot on target for the visitors on 56 minutes.
Team news
Ollie Watkins started up front for England with Harry Kane injured, while John Stones, Djed Spence and Bukayo Saka also came into the line-up.
Wales boss Craig Bellamy made eight changes, with Joe Rodon, Kieffer Moore and Brennan Johnson among the familiar faces returning to the XI.
Jordan Pickford was alert to it, though, and then saved well from a Chris Mepham header. The England keeper hasn’t conceded at Wembley for a year; however, he wouldn’t have thanked his defenders for a couple of late lapses in concentration.
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Tuchel said England would be ‘underdogs’ at the World Cup. This result won’t transform their prospects nor mean the big names will be permanently shut out. But after an underwhelming start, Tuchel’s England are beginning to put together performances to grow belief. They can seal a World Cup spot in Latvia if Serbia fail to beat Albania on Saturday.
Analysis: Rogers a big winner at Wembley
Sky Sports News’ Rob Dorsett at Wembley:
“In the end, England’s explosive first 20 minutes meant their fire burned very brightly, but quite shortly. The second half, after a host of substitutions, was flat – after the game had long since been won.
“Morgan Rogers is probably the England player who will take the most credit from the match, with his first international goal and an assist to boot.
“He might’ve scored again if his second-half shot had been inches underneath the bar. Bukayo Saka returned to the starting line-up and inevitably scored, five years after he’d made his England debut against the same opposition.
“Thomas Tuchel was frustrated in the end, but it was a satisfying performance that maintains the momentum from the 5-0 win in Serbia last month.”
Bellamy: We don’t want this feeling again
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Wales head coach Craig Bellamy admits they had a ‘difficult’ night after losing 3-0 to rivals England in a friendly.
Wales boss Craig Bellamy:
“The first 20 minutes were tough. It’s a very difficult place to come without starting the way we did. Made it very difficult for ourselves. We had to suffer a lot of pain.
“If we don’t work as a unit, shift our backline, push up, wait for triggers, start making it up because we’re stressed, we become an ordinary team. Opposition quality can do that to you as well but we have to remember what makes us a good team. That’s the learning bit.
“Monday it is a different game. Learn from this. We don’t want this feeling again.
“Damaging? You don’t go anywhere being damaged. I’ve never been damaged by a football match. When you get your a*** kicked you learn the most. And I got my a*** kicked!”
Analysis: Wales a work in progress but will take lessons from defeat
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Kieffer Moore dejected at Wembley as Wales were beaten by England
Sky Sports News’ Geraint Hughes at Wembley:
“It’s very difficult to gauge what’s positive to take from the game for Wales – despite the result, there will be very useful things learned from tonight from Bellamy and his staff. It sounds silly to say it, but further down the line this experience, this level of opponent may prove to be the difference in another game months away.
“I’ve tried to listen and understand when Bellamy talks about his short, medium and even longer-term aims and one thing he isn’t is a knee-jerk kind of person. He’ll have plans, he’ll even have had tonight’s challenging scenario as an outcome.
“This result is not what Wales wanted days out from a crucial World Cup qualifier. But in the days to come this is where we see just how good Bellamy could be. Many believe him to be a serious manager in the making, so trust is required.
“Ideally though this scenario wouldn’t have played out at Wembley. Wales are a work in progress. Their supporters though are not – the highlight bar none and 7,000 people will be hoarse come the morning!”