ENGLAND MOUNT A STIRRING COMEBACK
ENGLAND produced a stunning fightback to beat the top-ranked team in the world at Wembley and put a troubled week behind them.
Mason Mount’s deflected secondhalf strike secured three Nations League points for the hosts after both sides scored first-half penalties, Marcus Rashford cancelling out Romelu Lukaku’s opener.
Not only was it a tremendously spirited display against the vastly talented Belgians, who are the world’s No.1 ranked team, but manager Gareth Southgate’s young side sent out a statement after a week which began with three players attending a party with more than six people, breaking coronavirus rules.
Jadon Sancho and Ben Chilwell had all attended a surprise party for Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham last weekend which led to all three missing Thursday’s 3-0 win over Wales.
Chilwell also sat out yesterday’s game after feeling unwell following an initial negative Covid test. Sancho did see action as a late substitute, while Abraham was not in the matchday squad. England were also without two of their regular front three, with captain Harry Kane not deemed fit enough to start due to muscle fatigue while Raheem Sterling was injured.
Southgate made nine changes from the Wales friendly although Dominic Calvert-Lewin – a debut goalscorer in that match – retained his place up front, with Kane coming on to replace him for the last 24 minutes.
Jordan Henderson captained the team in Kane’s absence, while Kyle Walker won his 50th cap as part of a three-man central defence alongside Harry Maguire and Eric Dier. All five of England’s defenders were rightfooted, highlighting an area of concern for Southgate.
They had an early scare when Yannick Carrasco’s driven effort was disallowed for offside but Belgium took the lead after 16 minutes.
Dier slid across on Lukaku and, while the linesman kept his flag down, referee Tobias Stieler awarded a penalty from which former Manchester United and Chelsea striker Lukaku sent Jordan Pickford the wrong way – the first goal England had conceded in exactly a year, since defeat in the Czech Republic.
The visitors were on top but against
the run of play England were awarded a penalty after 39 minutes when Thomas Meunier tugged at Henderson at a corner. Rashford calmly converted.
The hosts were greatly improved after the break and the crucial strike came on 64 minutes as Mount came in from the left and saw his shot deflect off Jason Denayer and loop over goalkeeper Simon Mignolet.
Carrasco and Lukaku wasted chances to equalise, while Kane and Rashford could have extended England’s lead as Southgate saw his team end Belgium’s 13-game unbeaten run and go top of their Nations League group.