RASH’S ROCKET
MARTIN SAMUEL Marcus sends reminder before Welbeck adds some gloss
You work on those goals in training each day and when it comes off in a game, it’s a reward
ELLAND Road no longer has its diamond lights but, fortunately for Gareth Southgate, his improving England team do. Marcus Rashford illuminated England’s final public performance before they depart for Russia next week, with a display that suggests he could make an impact at his first World Cup, even if he doesn’t win a place in the first XI.
Southgate wasn’t looking for any great breakthroughs against Costa Rica, he almost certainly knows his starting line-up by now, but Rashford provided a reminder of the strength in depth, certainly in England’s forward line.
He scored a lovely goal, played an exquisite pass in the build-up to the second, and delivered an energetic, bold 90 minutes that showed he was a serious contender for any of four forward positions in the event of injury — or certainly could be first off the bench if needed to unlock a resilient defence.
‘You work on those (goals) in training every day and when one comes up in a game it’s a reward,’ said the 20-year-old. ‘I feel in good physical form leading up to the tournament. It means a lot to be involved but going to the World Cup and playing a major part is my main aim.
‘We’ve got a good chance. Anything is possible and we have to go there with the highest expectations.’
This was Rashford’s night, even if he shared the goals with Danny Welbeck. It was Rashford who worked a sweet little ball through to Dele Alli, whose cross was met by a diving header from the Arsenal striker at the far post.
The margin of victory was no more than England deserved for an accomplished display. This was largely Southgate’s shadow XI — John Stones, Jordan Henderson and, possibly, Harry Maguire aside — but they looked lively.
Fabian Delph did himself a favour with a hard-working stint in midfield, full of vim and energy. There were debuts, too, for Trent Alexander-Arnold and goalkeeper Nick Pope, who had not even played a Premier League game when this season began.
It was one of those nights when everyone wanted to play with Rashford. Team-mates sought him out. They could see he was the best player, that he was having a match that might just change the mind of his manager — and they wanted to help him along.
Henderson fizzed forward passes his way, Delph and Danny Rose attempted clever one-twos. Even when these did not come off, Rashford somehow made them work. Delph stuck one in to Rose, which he miscontrolled — but Rashford saved the day, scrambling to the touchline, keeping the ball in. This was his night, and everyone at Elland Road knew it.
His name drew a smattering of boos when first read out. A Manchester United man, you see. By half-time, he might as well have been one of their own.
Usually, questions are asked about why England’s players don’t perform as well for their country as they do for their clubs. With Rashford here, it was the other way round. Where has this player been for United this season? What has Jose Mourinho done with him?
Rashford didn’t seem to lack confidence in an England shirt, didn’t appear reluctant to take risks, to run at defenders, to try his tricks, to shoot from range. He did everything United wanted of him all season. So what happened?
The goal, of course, was his crowning glory. Rashford picked the ball up on the right, saw Costa Rica backing off, saw goalkeeper Keylor Navas slightly off his line, and went for it. At first it looked as if his shot had gone through Navas’s hands, Loris Karius style, but replays revealed the truth: he was simply caught out with the powerful, dipping strike.
Will it be enough to earn him a start? He will have to maintain this in every training session between now and the eve of the match with Tunisia to turn Southgate’s head.
Pressed on whether Rashford might start against Tunisia, the England boss said: ‘He played with a real swagger. He’s a United player and he got booed at the start and cheered off at the end. We have great competition for places, you saw that tonight.’ ENGLAND (4-4-2): Butland (Pope 64); Jones, Stones (Cahill 65), Maguire, Alexander-Arnold (Trippier 64); Loftus-Cheek (Lingard 79), Henderson (Alli 64), Delph, Rose; Vardy (Welbeck 61), Rashford. Subs not used: Heaton, Pickford, Walker, Dier, Kane, Sterling, Young, Lallana, Livermore. Booked: None COSTA RICA (4-4-2): Navas; Waston, Gonzalez, Calvo, Gamboa (Smith 71); Guzman (Tejeda 69), Borges, Oviedo (Matarrita 61), Venegas (Bolanos 61); Campbell, Urena. Subs not used: Pemberton, Moreira, Acosta, Duarte, Ruiz, Colindres, Wallace, Azofeifa. Booked: Matarrita, Gonzalez. Referee: Hiroyuki Kimura (Japan). Attendance: 36,104.