‘Feels great to send home fans happy’
Sterling scores vital goal for England; Austria earn first victory in 31 years
England manager Gareth Southgate was a relieved man on Sunday after his much-debated team selection paid off in a Euro 2020 opening win against Croatia at a jubilant Wembley.
“It feels great to have been able to send the fans home happy and to have fans up and down the country happy, that’s very special,” he said after a 1-0 victory over the side that denied England a World Cup final place in 2018.
“I was really pleased with the way we settled so quickly. Big occasion, sweltering hot day, every reason to look nervous at the start, but we didn’t. We were the bigger threat throughout.” With a wide array of talent at his disposal, Southgate kept faith with striker Raheem Sterling despite his below-par form in the Premier League and included midfielder Kalvin Phillips.
That disappointed fans who had wanted to see Marcus Rashford up front and Jack Grealish in midfield.
But Phillips and Sterling were England’s outstanding players, the former providing a perfect through ball for Sterling to slot home in the 61st minute.
“He’s been a reliable performer for us for a long period of time,” Southgate said of Sterling, who scored his first goal at a major tournament for England a stone’s throw from where he grew up.
Austria win
Late goals from substitutes Michael Gregoritsch and Marko Arnautovic gave Austria a convincing 3-1 victory over European Championship debutants North Macedonia in their opening Group C clash yesterday as they earned their first tournament victory in 31 years.
Gregoritsch prodded home David Alaba’s cross in the 78th minute before Arnautovic struck in the 89th, as Austria earned a first win at the Euros at their seventh attempt and their first victory at a major tournament since the 1990 World Cup.