It’s an Ivory coast against ten men for Three Lions
ENGLAND’S steady progress towards the winter World Cup continued with a straightforward 3-0 friendly victory over ten-man Ivory Coast at Wembley.
Goals from Ollie Watkins and Raheem Sterling, either side of former Tottenham full-back Serge Aurier’s sending off, and Tyrone Mings made it two wins from two this week.
Sterling – captain for the night with Harry Kane and Jordan Henderson on the bench – scored one and made another in an impressive display.
Jude Bellingham was equally as eye-catching in an attacking midfield role while left-back Tyrick Mitchell slotted in nicely on his full debut, one of ten changes from Saturday’s 2-1 win over Switzerland.
Wembley was missing one star turn last night, Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha not involved for the visitors, but the Ivorians contained a number of players who have plied their trade in the Premier League.
England went close on 16 minutes as Badra Ali Sangare touched Bellingham’s shot onto a post, then denying Jack Grealish soon after. But on the half-hour, Sterling wriggled to the byline, threading a ball across the face of the goal for Watkins to tap in on his first international start.
Two quick bookings for Ivory Coast skipper Aurier saw him sent off, his second yellow card coming for dissent despite Grealish pleading his case to the officials.
And the game was up for the visitors on the stroke of half-time as Sterling’s shot was saved, only for Grealish to pick him out to slot in the second.
Just 46 seconds into the second half, it could have got worse for the Ivorians as Fousseny Coulibaly appeared to foul Bellingham and a penalty was awarded, which referee Erik Lambrechts overturned after consulting his monitor on the advice of VAR.
England rounded off the win three minutes into injury time, Mings heading Phil Foden’s corner into the ground and in. For Southgate, it is all positive right now and on this evidence he has some big selection calls later this year.