ENGLAND narrowly avoided defeat against Belgium thanks to Jude Bellingham’s late strike.
Gareth Southgate’s side fell behind early on after Jordan Pickford’s huge error gifted Youri Tielemans the opener on 11 minutes.
Ivan Toney marked his first England start with a goal from the penalty spot to make it 1-1 against the Red Devils.
Tielemans bagged his second of the night just before half time after Belgium pounced on a mistake from Lewis Dunk for 2-1.
With seconds remaining, Bellingham netted to make it 2-2 and spare his side’s blushes following a lacklustre performance from the Three Lions.
- Match result: England 2-2 Belgium
- England team: Pickford, Konsa, Stones, Dunk, Chilwell, Mainoo, Rice, Bowen, Bellingham, Foden, Toney
- Belgium team: Sels, Castagne, Debast, Vertonghen, Theate, Mangala, Onana, Tielemans, Trossard, Doku, Lukaku
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That’s all from Wembley Stadium.
Four days. Two games. Seven goals. Injuries. Defensive errors. Late drama. Teenage sensations. Questionable punditry.
It’s been like being gripped by a major summer tournament already.
But the European Championships are still 11 weeks away – although they’re that much closer for Gareth Southgate now that he’s an international break further on in his preparations.
It’s back to domestic matters now for England’s stars, and there’s plenty for the players to ponder before Germany 2024 becomes their main consideration.
And it starts this coming weekend with a fresh round of Premier League fixtures, the peak of which is Manchester City’s clash with Arsenal on Sunday.
As always, you can enjoy all the action here at SunSport so be sure to join us.
Until then, thanks for reading and goodnight.
Extra! Read all about it!
Before we go and book our flights to Berlin for July 14th, let’s recap on this evening’s entertainment with Charlie Wyett’s match report of England’s 2-2 draw with Belgium at Wembley.
A defeat and a draw, some dodgy individual performances and even more injuries. If Gareth Southgate wanted a perfect warm-up for Euro 2024, then he certainly did not get it against Brazil and Belgium.
Charlie Wyett
Teenager can be Mainoo man
In the aftermath of Kobbie Mainoo’s full England debut, the teenage midfielder was labelled a future star by one of the world’s best.
Jude Bellingham knows a thing or two about being talked up as a wonderkid,
“[Kobbie Mainoo] was good tonight,” Bellingham told ITV.
“I’m speaking like the old head and I know there’s a clamour [for him to be selected] and I’ve been there. But he is definitely a brilliant player and he will have a great future for Manchester United and, hopefully, for England too.”
Jude delighted to silence critics
Jude Bellingham fired a last-second England equaliser, and then admitted how pleased he was to have stopped the moaners.
Speaking at the final whistle, the Real Madrid ace stated that he knew just how much flak Gareth Southgate and his squad would have received had they found themselves on the end of another defeat and so was eager to stop the moaning before it had begun.
I enjoyed that goal because I knew the rubbish we would have got if we had lost two games on the bounce. You have to keep perspective with these games. There were a lot of lads making debuts, a lot of these boys I had never played with before. I thought we created a lot of chances and I’m happy I could make it up to the team, but we should have won it with the chances we made. I think these have been two games that will stand us in great stead going into the Euros.
Jude Bellingham
Match stats from Wembley Stadium
Thirteen of England’s 19 shots came in the second half as the hosts applied pressure on the Red Devils that eventually paid off.
Full time – England 2-2 Belgium
It ends all-square at Wembley Stadium after Jude Bellingham’s last-gasp goal.
England 2-2 Belgium
90+5. With almost the last kick of the game, Jude Bellingham equalises and spares England’s blushes!
With Wembley having given up hope, a long free-kick from Pickford bounces around inside the area, and is eventually steered to the byline.
Ollie Watkins keeps it alive, and with little on for James Maddison, the Tottenham man shows great creativity and composure to look up and pick out Bellingham back in the centre.
One touch from the midfielder, and a comprehensive finish to boot and the Three Lions celebrate a draw.
It won’t be the last time that this superstar comes to England’s rescue over the next decade.
At the death!
England 1-2 Belgium
90+2. Inside four minutes of stoppage time, and Lukebakio has the chance to seal a famous Belgian win but spoons over when the chance was laid on a plate from the right.
England 1-2 Belgium – Maddison yellow card
90. Rice and Onana square up to each other in the centre-circle, exchange some harsh words, and then indicate that they can carry it on off the pitch after the game.
At the end of that little episode, James Maddison get booked.
Don’t even ask.
England 1-2 Belgium
88. Vertonghen knocks Foden over in the area, and although the England forward looks towards referee Sebastian Gishamer, it’s more in hope than any expectation.
Strong defending from the former Tottenham favourite.
England 1-2 Belgium
86. There’s no great charge from England, no kitchen sink being thrown.
Nevertheless, Foden is desperately trying to force an equalise from somewhere, somehow.
Aside from his finishing, the Manchester City man has been extremely good again tonight.
England 1-2 Belgium
84. England are a little over five minutes away from their first back-to-back defeats at Wembley for 11 years.
Still, I’m sure football fans won’t overreact on social media as a result.
England 1-2 Belgium – Belgium substitutions
82. A triple change for the Belgians.
Off go Romelu Lukaku, Orel Mangala and Zeno Debast.
On come Michy Batshuayi, Lois Openda and Wout Faes.
England 1-2 Belgium – England substitutions
80. Two more changes for the hosts.
Jarrod Bowen has been bright, but his time is up for Anthony Gordon.
And also off is Ivan Toney. A goalscorer on his full debut, but he won’t have the chance to add to it with Ollie Watkins on in his place.
England 1-2 Belgium
78. Foden! It should have been the equaliser!
It’s brilliant work from Bowen, who tricks his way across the Belgium backline before nicking a pass through to the Manchester City ace.
Foden takes a nice touch to make room on his left foot, but then dras his subsequent effort wide of the far post.
England 1-2 Belgium
76. The pace has dropped noticeably, and there are some tired-looking players out there.
Not least Ivan Toney, who half-heartedly pulls out of a challenge on Doku on halfway.
England 1-2 Belgium – England substitution
74. Kobbie Mainoo’s night is over but the 18-year-old can be very proud of his performance. He has been excellent.
James Maddison is on for the final 16 minutes plus.
England 1-2 Belgium
72. A wonderful challenge by Bellingham to deny Doku when the winger was in full flight.
The midfielder’s game isn’t all about attacking. That was peak Bobby Moore.
England 1-2 Belgium – Belgium substitutions
70. Two more switches for Domenico Tedesco and his visiting team.
The Belgium boss sends on the experienced Thomas Meunier and Aster Vranckx, replacing double-goalscorer Youri Tielemans and Arthur Theate.
England 1-2 Belgium
68. Midway through the second half, and England still trail – but the chances are coming.
There’s relatively little action on the home bench at the moment, but could that change soon?
England 1-2 Belgium – Gomez yellow card
66. It’s a first yellow card of the night, and it’s shown to Joe Gomez.
The Liverpool defender is penalised for a foul on Doku, although the caution could be the result of a totting up process.
England 1-2 Belgium
64. Lukaku blazes over at one end, and then England go to work.
Bowen bursts through the middle, Foden is denied inside the area by a brilliant Onana challenge, and then Mainoo’s goalbound drive is superbly kept out by the legs of Sels.
England 1-2 Belgium
62. England go close again.
Unsurprisingly, Foden and Bellingham are at the heart of it, the former holding off a barrage of opponents before finding the latter on the right-side of the penalty area.
The Real Madrid man’s low cross is cleverly met by Bowen at the near post with an instinctive shot that Sels does well to hold.
England 1-2 Belgium – Belgium substitution
60. The visitors make the first of what I suspect will be many second half substitutions.
It’s a change in attack with Sevilla’s Dodi Lukebakio coming on for Leandro Trossard.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
