Kane rescues England with late equalizer
GLASGOW — England manager Gareth Southgate said Saturday’s last-gasp 2-2 draw with Scotland demonstrated the kind of mental fortitude he is trying to instil in his players.
England surrendered two late Leigh Griffiths free kicks in the World Cup qualifier at Hampden Park, only for new captain Harry Kane to rescue a point by volleying in the equalizer in the 93rd minute.
Southgate, trying to rebuild England’s confidence after the shock of last year’s Euro 2016 humiliation by Iceland, said his players’ perseverance in the face of improbable odds was a sign they are on the right path.
“I think it’s a huge moment for the team,” said Southgate, who took his squad to a military training camp on a teambuilding exercise last week.
“The questions around us center on character and the ability to withstand events that go against you. That’s what we’ve got to show.
“We have to be a team that is never beaten. We have to be a team that, maybe the clock runs out, but we never, ever stop.
“Today we’ve done that. Is it what we wanted when we turned up here? No, it isn’t. But the chain of events is remarkable, really.”
Kane’s goal was the Tottenham Hotspur striker’s sixth in 18 international appearances and came at the end of his first game under Southgate, after injuries kept him out of England’s six previous matches.
“It was an important moment for the team and an important moment individually for Harry,” Southgate told his post-match media conference.
“I’ve a feeling we might have been sitting here talking about how long it was since he last scored for England if he hadn’t got one.
“It was brilliant for him that in a pressure moment he executed a skill that he made look a lot easier than it actually was. I think it’s a significant goal for many different reasons.”
Flimsy attempt
On a sun-kissed afternoon, England took the lead in the 70th minute when substitute Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s left-foot strike beat home goalkeeper Craig Gordon’s flimsy attempt at a save.
It was the cue for Griffiths to take center stage.
The Celtic striker blasted a 25-yard free kick inside the right post in the 87 th minute, then curled a shot into the other side of the goal three minutes later.
England goalkeeper Joe Hart, whose Manchester City future remains in limbo following a loan spell at Torino, got nowhere near either shot, but Southgate absolved him of blame.
“I thought he was extremely composed with the ball at his feet and his focus through the week, he’s been one of the outstanding leaders in the group,” said Southgate, whose side remains atop Group F in UEFA qualifying.
“I’m sure he’ ll be disappointed to concede any goal. We’ ll have a look in more detail, but you’ve got to credit Griffiths with two outstanding strikes.”
Griffiths, 26, had never previously scored for Scotland and his goals drew rich praise from manager Gordon Strachan after a result that kept Scotland in fourth place in the pool.
“I’ve seen Scotland’s best ever free kick and then I’ve also seen Scotland’s second best ever free kick,” Strachan said.
“And then a noise after that, that I have never heard anything like before.
“I will look at the players and tell them they have to keep coming back and taking knocks like that. That is how we will win.”
Harry Kane was beaming after scoring a dramatic equalizer in his first game as captain to earn England a 2-2 World Cup qualifying draw against Scotland on Saturday.
Two Leigh Griffiths free kicks left England facing a first qualifying loss since October 2009, only for Kane to convert a volley in the 93rd minute, set up by substitute Raheem Sterling’s cross from the left wing.
“It is a special day,” said Tottenham Hotspur striker Kane,