England 3-0 Costa Rica – Gordon says he wants to start the World Cup with a friendly win
Anthony Gordon made the most of his first England World Cup opportunity with a goal and an assist as the Three Lions beat Costa Rica in Orlando.
The best game of improved intensity and quality gave the visitors a final warm-up before the World Cup kicks off on Thursday.
Declan Rice opened up the field for the brilliant Gordon and passed for his seventh goal as Thomas Tuchel gave a final interview to the players hoping to start next week.
New Barcelona signing Gordon has impressed on the left-back as England are thrashed by a dogged, if limited, Costa Rican side who will not make it to the finals.
Gordon scored a penalty after the break before Aston Villa duo Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins combined and Watkins scored the third.
Kick-off was delayed by an hour to 22:00 BST after heavy rain and lightning in Orlando.
England were without Bukayo Saka who is not fully fit but Tuchel had a strong squad available to him otherwise. Surprisingly, it was the first time that his selected XI had played together.
Once the match started, the pitch was incredibly quiet at the Inter&Co Stadium.
Jude Bellingham had the first try of the night, firing wide after good play down the left between Gordon and Nico O’Reilly.
The physical and fitness start was very different from the warm-up game against New Zealand at the weekend.
O’Reilly and Gordon had impressed and after another sharp attack down the left, the new Barcelona player again beat his man and found Rice, who drove home with authority.
Kane went close with a fine header when Patrick Sequeira saved, before the Costa Rica goalkeeper did well to beat Noni Madueke’s shot.
Madueke should have scored after running through Bellingham’s sharp ball but after rounding the goalkeeper he hit the post.
Kane, dropped deep, played a wonderful ball behind the defense and Gordon won the game with a penalty. But after a VAR review, the spot-kick was ruled out by referee Ekaterina Koroleva.
Tuchel made no changes at the break as he gave his starting XI a much-needed boost in the Florida humidity.
Another gem of a ball from Kane found Madueke in space and his shot was deflected before changes were made on the hour mark.
Saka was among those introduced as Bellingham played as a false nine to give Kane a rest.
The Real Madrid man’s clever foot put Eberechi Eze’s shot past Aaron Salazar’s arm and Koroleva pointed again.
This time the decision stood and with Kane out of the field, Gordon got up and shot into the top corner.
There was time for another substitute, Rogers, to miss a sitter after some good play from Eze, and Rogers hit a powerful shot that went wide and Watkins made no mistake.
The meeting with the 53rd-ranked team in the world was the Three Lions’ final game before their World Cup campaign begins against Croatia on June 17 (21:00 BST) as part of a group that includes Ghana and Panama.
Read: How to watch all the World Cup matches in the UK.
