“We lost concentration after the first goal” – Pietro Ghedin

Football After match comments

half, but the game is 90 minutes, not 45”.

While acknowledging that England are one of the strongest teams in Europe, he said that the introduction of Rashford in the second half did most of the difference.

“England are a very strong side who played 90 minutes in front of our defenders. They deserved to win”.

Ghedin made the point that his team’s late capitulation was simply a case of one team’s superior fitness. “Physically we were dead. We didn’t stay on the pitch. We were out,” he said.

The burst of goals certainly came as a surprise because the game had been drifting aimlessly towards its conclusion until Bertrand let fly from almost 25 metres and Andrew Hogg, Malta’s goalkeeper, lost the flight of a dipping shot to let in the second goal.

After that England looked as if they could score with every attack.

But Ghedin also acknowledged that England deserved to win as they maintain their progress to Russia, even if those stoppage-time goals added gloss to their victory.

Southgate admitted that England started well and he was very pleased with his side’s attitude for the first 20 minutes.

Then came really the big test for England when they had to play against a solid Malta defence and the English’s tempo of their approach dropped too often.

“I’ve played in matches like this and, if you don’t get a couple of early goals, the atmosphere can turn,” Southgate said. “But that’s part of wearing the shirt. You have to deal with that.”

Southgate was aware that when that opening goal doesn’t come, playing against a packed defence, you’ve got to show some real courage and stick to the game plan, be patient, and wait for your opportunities.

“That’s what we did and finally it came off” he remarked, adding that at the end, when you put pressure on the opposition, the goals will come.

Southgate said that the use of substitutes was also important, especially after Marcus Rashford went in for Sterling at the start of the second period.

“The bench is crucial in these kind of matches” said Southgate.

England’s manager praised the Maltese.

“Scoring four goals against Malta is not an easy job. Not many teams go to Malta and score so many against a team which is very well organised”. also

Silvio Vella What looked most likely to end in a stodgy night of embarrassment for the England national team, in their World Cup qualifying match against Malta on Friday, was finally given a slightly deceptive appearance by the goals in the last seven...