LIONS GET TOP MARCS
Rashford at the double as he kills off Wales and goes joint top of Golden Boot standings... now it’s Senegal next on Sunday
IT WAS a night everything went right for England.
Gareth Southgate’s changes worked perfectly, Wales were outclassed, and now it’s Senegal in the last 16 on Sunday.
Marcus Rashford scored twice, played a part in another, and wrote his name into the history books as his second was England’s 100th goal at a World Cup finals.
England brought down the curtain on a glory era for Wales. Gareth Bale was subbed at half-time after being unable to summon a last piece of magic.
It must have felt sweet for the England fans who sang: “You’re going home in the morning” as payback for what happened at Euro 2016 when the Wales players were filmed celebrating England’s humiliating loss to Iceland.
Yes, Wales had passion and they belted out their national anthem in stirring fashion but their glory days are gone.
England, meanwhile, have a quality and strength in depth which could yet take them a long way in this tournament. They face Senegal for the first time on Sunday and, if they can produce the sort of football they showed in the second half last night, then they really should fancy their chances in Qatar.
Southgate deserves major credit because his decision to start with both Rashford and Phil Foden paid off. And, as the clock ticked down, he even had the luxury of being able to take some of his big guns off for an early bath.
It was that easy in the end. The public clamour for Foden (celebrating, above) has been huge and he repaid Southgate’s faith but it was also the England manager’s decision to put Foden on the left and swap Rashford to the right at half-time – a tactical masterstroke.
From the boos after the bore draw with the United States, the England fans were singing “Southgate you’re the one” again by the end.
Yet it was a struggle in the first half because Wales were so hard to break down. England struggled to create clear chances but Kane slipped Rashford through for an early opportunity that was thwarted by Wales keeper Danny Ward, who was out like lightning to make a brave block. Wales offered absolutely nothing going forward. This
really does feel like the end game for this generation of Welsh players and, while it’s been a fun ride, they have been one of the worst teams at this World Cup.
Wales were forced into a concussion change as Neco Williams – who blocked Rashford’s fierce shot with his head – was replaced by Connor Roberts at left-back.
But England then found top gear after half-time as Wales tamely surrendered. And you did feel when they got one goal that others would follow.
And that is exactly how it panned out.
It was Foden who won the free-kick that broke the deadlock. He tricked his way past three opponents before being fouled by Roberts and Joe Rodon, gifting England a freekick in an inviting position just outside the box.
Rashford curled a brilliant shot into the top corner and beyond Ward’s reach, although the Wales keeper maybe should have done better.
The England fans, banked behind that goal, went wild. And they did not have to wait long for another.
A minute later, Rashford closed down Ben Davies on England’s right and Kane, without even a glance up, whipped over a low cross for Manchester City star Foden to double the England lead at the far post.
This was easy street for England now because Wales were so poor. Their only effort of note came when Ethan Ampadu’s shot deflected off Harry Maguire, forcing England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford to make his only save of note in the whole game. And England then got a third after 68 minutes. Rashford (with Southgate, far left) burst into the box, cut inside, and hammered a low shot which flew through Ward’s legs. The Manchester United striker looks a different player to the man who appeared to have the weight of the world on his shoulders last year. In a little over two weeks he may even have the weight of the World Cup on his shoulders.
England could have had a few more by the end but 3-0 was enough for England fans who were singing Jingle Bells at the final whistle as, bizarrely, their next World Cup match, against Senegal on Sunday, is in December.
Rashford, rejuvenated this season, now has three goals at this World Cup, taking him level with France superstar Kylian Mbappe, Holland sensation Cody Gakpo and Ecuador’s Enner Valencia.