Southgate’s six hitters send warning to rivals
2-goal ace buries penalty heartache
ENGLAND boss Gareth Southgate hailed his super six heroes after they began their World Cup campaign in smashing style.
The Three Lions thrashed Iran 6-2 in their Group B opener to get off to their best-ever start in football’s most prestigious tournament.
Bukayo Saka bagged a brace with goals also coming from teenage star
Jude Bellingham and Raheem
Sterling as well as subs Marcus
Rashford and
Jack Grealish.
And Southgate
(right) was thrilled to send out an early warning to his side’s rivals for the crown. But he issued a note of caution after watching his side concede twice when in full control of the game, warning they would need to be even better against USA on Friday.
He said: “We are really pleased to start the tournament in this way and with our attacking play. “We know Iran are usually really difficult to score goals against, so it’s a credit to our players and the movement, the quality of our
IT’S still a very long way from coming home.
But this was a seriously good start for England.
The Three Lions won their first competitive game in a year as they thrashed hopeless Iran to make it their best start in the World Cup.
The shackles were off and Gareth Southgate’s side shone brightly as the sun went down in Doha.
The fact Bukayo Saka bagged a brace made it even more special.
The man who missed the decisive penalty in the Euro 2020 final lit up the Khalifa International Stadium on his debut in this tournament, along with fellow scorer Jude Bellingham.
The only downsides were the soft goal they conceded as Harry Maguire switched off momentarily for Mehdi Taremi’s strike and then conceding a late, debatable penalty.
But nothing could take the gloss off this showing.
First-half goals came from Bellingham, Saka and Raheem Sterling.
Saka, who was awarded the Budweiser Man of the Match trophy (left), again and substitutes Marcus Rashford and Jack Grealish completed the rout.
What a tonic this was for a World
Cup which is shrouded in controversy.
The mood around England hasn’t been great either of late.
Southgate was even booed by his own fans after a winless Nations League campaign.
Yet yesterday was the first time since a famous 1982 win over France that the Three Lions scored more than two goals in a World Cup opener.
Of course, Carlos Queiroz’s Iran are no serious contenders and offered little resistance.
But it was a performance that will restore belief in this England side.
This attacking approach must continue and sticking with a back four may be the way.
The first half’s low point was a long
stoppage for Iran keeper Alireza Beiranvand early on when he needed nine minutes of treatment after clashing heads with his own defender.
He carried on briefly before opting to go off a minute later. It was farcical. But this tournament is built on farce.
The football at least made it feel normal.
A superb bit of play ended with Luke Shaw crossing for Bellingham, still only 19, to head his first goal for the country in the 35th minute.
England’s second came in the 43rd minute as Maguire nodded down a Shaw corner for Saka and he fired into the roof of the net.
Sterling then got his goal in firsthalf stoppage time as he directed Harry Kane’s cross home.
Saka showed fine composure for his second as he led the Iran defence a merry dance before seizing the opportunity to squeeze the ball home after the break.
Taremi pulled one back when Maguire lost him in the 65th minute, though the central defender left the field dazed soon afterwards and it was later revealed he was suffering from an illness.
Rashford’s name hadn’t even been read out by the PA announcer as he came off the bench and fired home within seconds.
Grealish rounded off the rout with a tap-in after fellow sub Callum Wilson unselfishly set him up.
John Stones gave away a late penalty for a pull on Taremi after Brazilian referee Raphael Claus was called to check the monitor and the Iran striker scored from the spot.
Buk Of The Net: See pullout