World Cup

GARETH SOUTHATE stressed the starting XI against Iran has earned the right to face the United States.And in any case, everyone would have thought the England manager had lost his marbles had he decided to do some tinkering after a brilliant win on the opening day.
England boss Gareth Southgate has some big questions to answer after drawing with the USA and is likely to make changes against WalesCredit: Rex
Star man Harry Maguire and fellow centre-back John Stones grimace on a tough night for the Three Lions in QatarCredit: Getty
This was not great, neither was it a disaster. It was certainly not a blockbuster for the crowd of 68463.
Yet starting with Wales on Tuesday, and surely into the knockout rounds, Southgate is certain to mix and match both his formations – and personnel – depending on the opposition.
Had his Three Lions not humiliated Iran 6-2, then England would have probably started with a back three and wing-backs last night.
He will now think about ditching the back four for what is now an intriguing game with the Welsh even though England, barring a disaster, are through.
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At his pre-match press conference on Thursday evening, Southgate had warned fans not expect goalfests against either States or Wales.
He said: “I guess people wouldn’t expect us to be like that having watched us for a couple of years and the style of football we play. Maybe we will regress to the norm!”

Southgate was only half joking when he spoke about returning to normal and unfortunately, that is what happened.
The full-backs, in particular, Kieran Trippier and Luke Shaw, both struggled defensively.
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Both did well enough going forward but at times, both John Stones and Harry Maguire – England’s best player – were exposed and defended well, particularly as they were not being protected well enough by the midfield, where there was a bit of a gap.
It was certainly a reality check. But a tap on the shoulder which, in turn, may not hurt England too much.
At the back, in particular, Shaw found himself over-run with right-back Sergino Dest, of Juventus, getting forward to support Weston McKennie, with Raheem Sterling not always getting back quickly enough to help protect.
McKennie wasted one good chance then did brilliantly to create the chance for Christian Pulisic whose shot rattled the crossbar.
Trippier, who was guilty of some slopping passing, foolishly invited Pulisic to take the shot, not realising it would be such a terrific effort from a difficult angle.
At the end of the first half, Shaw delivered some bright moments with a couple of good passes at the other end.
Equally, it would have not been the greatest of surprises had Southgate decided to change things at half-time.
USA frontman Christian Pulisic take centre stage, ahead of, from left to right, Jude Bellingham, sliding Bukayo Saka and No 3 Luke ShawCredit: EPA
Things did not improve as they were forced into some proper last-ditch stuff and it was a relief, with just over 20 minutes to go, when Henderson was brought on to steady the ship in place of Jude Bellingham and Jack Grealish for Raheem Sterling, who lacked energy.
In fairness to Sterling, though, he was certainly not the only one.
Southgate will not allow himself or the team to get too downhearted by this performance.
In the same way the coach and his 26-man squad were not doing a conga along Al Wakrah beach after their win on Monday.
It would have been nice for England to blow the States apart but maybe we were asking a bit too much.
There were more Three Lions fans inside the Al Bayt Stadium compared to the first game – and the team will certainly need them against Wales.
Do not forget how the Welsh players celebrated when England were knocked out of Euro2016 by Iceland.
It would nice to get one back – big style. More

ENGLAND’S World Cup campaign ground to a halt on Friday after being held by the USA.Gareth Southgate’s men struggled to get out of first gear in a dull 0-0 draw.
England stuttered in the World Cup with a 0-0 draw against the USACredit: AP
The result was certainly a reminder to fans of England’s form prior to the 6-2 win over Iran.
And the Three Lions must now beat Wales in their final group game to seal a spot in the knockout stages.
But who was England’s best player against the USA? And did anyone have a match to forget?
Here, SunSport’s Jordan Davies delivers his England player ratings…
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JORDAN PICKFORD – 6/10
No saves to make despite a worrying first half in front of him. One dicey moment under a corner but otherwise did what he had to do.
KIERAN TRIPPIER – 5
Lax in defence for second game running, especially in first half for McKennie and Pulisic chances. Is Kyle Walker fit enough to start?
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JOHN STONES – 7
Important interventions in both halves when team in danger of conceding more chances. Less effective in possession than v Iran.
HARRY MAGUIRE – 8 STAR MAN
Won almost everything in the air, which was vital at times in second half.
Fought fires down England’s left. Like Stones, unable to do as much with the ball.

LUKE SHAW – 5
The USA got in behind him far too easily in first half, forcing Maguire to cover. Had fewer opportunities to deliver at the other end.
Declan Rice was one of England’s slightly better performersCredit: Getty
JUDE BELLINGHAM – 5
Unable to dictate game as v Iran, struggling against athletic, three-man midfield. Non-existent in second half before being subbed. Reality check.
DECLAN RICE – 6
Opponents’ greater dynamism and numerical advantage caused him problems in the first half, but improved in second to stabilise team.
MASON MOUNT – 6
Online haters piled on, but only player close to matching energy of opening game. Admittedly without much reward bar first-half shot.
Mason Mount was far from his brilliant bestCredit: Reuters
BUKAYO SAKA – 6
Started well, but did not have enough of the ball in good positions to threaten regularly. Suffered from what was going on behind him.
HARRY KANE – 6
Should he have put more on the early shot? Looked a bit sluggish, raising questions about his fitness. Will rue sending late header wide.
RAHEEM STERLING – 5
Teeing up Mount shot and one run only highlights of frustrating night when he was starved of decent ball, but deservedly taken off.
Harry Kane found opportunities hard to come byCredit: Getty
SUBSTITUTES
JACK GREALISH (for Sterling, 68mins) – 6
Increased threat and won free kicks
JORDAN HENDERSON (for Bellingham, 69mins) – 6
Fresh legs but little impact
MARCUS RASHFORD (for Saka, 78mins) – 6
No fairytale this time. Had a shot at least.
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Nick Pope, Aaron Ramsdale, Kyle Walker, Kalvin Phillips, Eric Dier, Conor Coady, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Phil Foden, Ben White, Callum Wilson, Conor Gallagher. More

ENGLAND are facing a nightmare tie in the last 16 of the World Cup after their shocking performance against USA.Having thumped Iran 6-2 in their tournament opener, Three Lions fans were in buoyant mood ahead of Friday night’s clash.
England face a potential nightmare draw in the World Cup last 16 after their USA stalemateCredit: Reuters
How Groups A and B look going into the final round of fixtures
But after a dreadful 0-0 draw against the USA, England are now most-likely to face HOLLAND in the first knockout stage.
Gareth Southgate’s men may only need a draw against Wales if they are to secure top spot in Group B.
A 4-0 loss – however unlikely – would likely see them crash OUT of the tournament.
A win would guarantee top spot, but failing to do so would almost-certainly see them face Louis van Gaal’s Dutch giants in the last 16.
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Holland are currently top of Group A, level on points with Ecuador following their 1-1 draw earlier on Friday, but have only Qatar to play.
Qatar have lost both of their opening fixtures and are officially the WORST host nation in the World Cup’s 92-year history.

Meanwhile, Ecuador face a tricky clash with Senegal as they aim to steal top spot from the Netherlands.
In their most-recent game against Holland, England famously lost 3-1 in their 2018-19 Nations League semi-final.
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Ex-Manchester United boss Van Gaal guided his side to a late 2-0 win over Senegal in their tournament opener before Cody Gakpo’s early strike was cancelled out by Enner Valencia against Ecuador.
However, they are overwhelming favourites to top Group A.
Should England fail to grab top spot and reach the last 16 in second, they will play Holland.
Of course, there’s still the possibility the Three Lions win the group and still face the Dutch, should they slip to second.
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Indeed, with Qatar out of the running, England could still play Holland, Ecuador or Senegal.
First thing’s first, though… Southgate and Co must get past Wales. More

SO which was the real England – the one which demolished Iran or the one made to look bang average by the United States? We will find out in the knockout stage and the good news is that Gareth Southgate’s men are effectively through to the last 16 now.
England failed to beat USA in a real mood-dampener following their 6-2 win over IranCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
Gareth Southgate was unable to rally his troops in an uninspiring performanceCredit: Getty
Harry Maguire and John Stones kept a clean sheet but England were woeful in attackCredit: Getty
Christian Pulisic nearly gave the USA the lead in the first-halfCredit: AFP
Harry Kane looked off the pace despite being passed fit for the match following a knock to the ankleCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
Because however sloppy and uninspired England were here, they are not bad enough to lose 4-0 to Wales and that is what would be needed for the Three Lions to fall at the first hurdle. 
With the exception of Harry Maguire, outstanding as he won his 50th cap, and Declan Rice, who prevented England from being overwhelmed in midfield, this was dismal. 
But England usually throw in a stinking 0-0 in a group stage – remember Algeria, Slovakia, Scotland? 
And in tournament football, nobody plays like the Harlem Globetrotters every time. 
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Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka and Raheem Sterling, all so sparkly against Iran, were flat here. 
Harry Kane, who has been nursing an ankle problem, looked shy of peak sharpness. 
Full-backs Kieran Trippier and Luke Shaw showed little adventure. 
And for long spells of both halves, the States were the better side. 
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Southgate is too level-headed to get angry about it – it wasn’t as if Jordan Pickford had to make a single save of note. 
It was the sort of game previous England sides might even have lost. 
And it will dampen down the elements of over-optimism which crept in after that 6-2 hammering of Iran.

England arrived at the Al Bayt Stadium – a giant circus big top in a lunar landscape miles from anywhere – buoyed by that opening battering, a result which looked even better after the Iranians had dispatched Wales earlier in the day. 
Southgate named an unchanged starting line-up – how couldn’t he? – but England made a sluggish start. 
There was nothing like the same rapid pass-and-move football which overwhelmed Iran. 
Aside from one pleasing rat-a-tat-tat move involving Kieran Trippier, Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka and ending with a Harry Kane shot being blocked, England looked leggy and lacking in inspiration.  
After the ensuing corner, Harry Maguire improvised a dribbling routine and soon after Bellingham was showing his enthusiasm by shoulder-barging Saka to collect one pass. 
But as the first half progressed, the States began to believe. 

First, Haji Wright flashed a header wide from Weston McKennie’s cross, then McKennie volleyed over with the England defence static. 
McKennie, the Juventus man with the rainbow hairdo, was beginning to boss the midfield – fast, brave, direct, everything that England were not. 
The next time the American went forward, Christian Pulisic was afforded the space to thunder an angled shot against the crossbar.
As Southgate pointed out on the eve of the match, England had never beaten the States at a World Cup – a stunning defeat in 1950 and a miserable draw, to kick off a miserable campaign, in South Africa 12 years ago. 
Was that sequence going to continue? It looked like it. England were sloppy in their passing and tentative on their attitude. 
The Yanks were loving it.
“It’s called soccer, it’s called soccer!!” taunted their supporters. And their players continued to tease England’s defence.
Next, full-back Sergino Dest cut inside on a darting run and Maguire needed to halt him with a smart block.
Only in the final moments of the first half did England regain the initiative.
Luke Shaw bulldozed through and cut back for Saka who couldn’t find enough space and shot wide under pressure. 
Jordan Henderson was introduced late in the game to help wrestle back control in midfieldCredit: Reuters
Harry Kane attempted a spectacular overhead kick but failed to make a connectionCredit: AP
It was the first time England had come close to threatening the American goal.
Soon though, from a cute Sterling pass, Mason Mount lashed a shot and Matt Turner plunged to his right to push round the post. 
It was the only save of the opening period. The euphoria from that Iran performance had evaporated. America had been the better side, England had looked bang-average. 
The second half began in the same vein. All the snap and crackle belonged to the Americans. 
Any time England had a sniff of an opening, they made a poor decision or took a heavy touch. 
Bellingham had been as diffident here as he’s been dominant on Monday. He’s only 19 and it will happen but Southgate might easily have withdrawn him earlier than he did – midway through the second half.
Jordan Henderson replaced the young Brummie, in the hope that England might gain some control in midfield and Jack Grealish arrived in place of Sterling, who had suffered a frustrating night. 
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There was little improvement once the subs arrived though – Kane headed well wide from a Shaw free-kick in injury-time. 
But this was one to forget, to chalk up to experience.  More

ENGLAND fans were left saying the same thing as they turned to Jordan Henderson to save them against the USA.It was worrying all-round for Gareth Southgate as his side laboured to a drab draw against the Americans – with even the WAGS watching on in horror.
Fans were baffled by the introduction of Jordan Henderson against USACredit: Getty
Gareth Southgate turned to the midfielder as his side were being overan by AmericaCredit: AP
Other than an early chance for Harry Kane and a Mason Mason effort just before the break, it was all USA in the first half.
And there was no doubt that they should have been ahead at the break.
Chelsea’s Christian Pulisic will feel the most hard done after his effort whacked Jordan Pickford’s crossbar.
However, England survived with the deadlock still unbroken during the vital World Cup clash.
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The pressure continued after the restart, eventually forcing Southgate into a reshuffle.
Henderson, who only has two goals in 71 caps, and Jack Grealish replaced Jude Bellingham and Raheem Sterling on 68 minutes.
But it was the Liverpool skipper’s introduction that sent Twitter into meltdown as many were not convinced by the change.
One wrote: “I don’t know how you can view this match and think ‘ah yes Jordan Henderson will change the balance of this game’.”
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Another said: “Jordan Henderson. That’s like when you click auto sub on Fifa by accident.”
A fellow England fan commented: “Loooooooooool you need a goal and you send on Jordan Henderson.”
While another tweeted: “YOU NEED A GOAL AGAINST F***ING USA AND YOU BRING ON JORDAN HENDERSON.
“Southgate MUST pay for his crimes against the beautiful sport.”

Kane had another opportunity at the death to snatch an undeserved winner but headed high and wide as it finished honours even.
That result left England still top of the group on four points, a point ahead of second-placed Iran.
The USA, who take on Iran on Tuesday, are third on two points after consecutive draws.
And Wales, who England face in their final Group B match, are bottom on one point.
That means the Three Lions will qualify for the knockouts if they avoid a 4-0 defeat to the Welsh. More

ERIC DIER and Aaron Ramsdale’s Wags looked unimpressed by England’s horror display against the USA as they were spotted bored in the stands.The wives and girlfriends on Three Lions stars were out in force again in Qatar after Monday’s thrilling win over Iran.
Aaran Ramsdale’s girlfriend Georgina Irin was spotted yawning during the first half of England’s clash with USACredit: World Cup News Pool (WCNP) – England vs USA
Eric Dier’s model girlfriend Anna Modler was feeling the feeling the strainCredit: World Cup News Pool (WCNP) – England vs USA
Jordan Pickford’s wife Megan looked far from impressedCredit: Getty
However the mood was far more sombre against their foes from across the pond as England flopped to a dreadful 0-0 World Cup draw.
England defender Dier’s model girlfriend Anna Modler looked to be feeling the strain as USA missed several glorious chances in the first half against misfiring England.
And fellow sub Ramsdale’s fiancée Georgina Irwin was even spotted yawning during the dire showing.
It was a worrying clash all-round for Gareth Southgate as his side lacked intensity and accuracy on the ball.
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Other than an early chance for Harry Kane and a Mason Mason effort just before the break, it was all USA.
And there was no doubt that the Three Lions were lucky to escape with a point.
Chelsea’s Christian Pulisic will feel the most hard done after his effort whacked Jordan Pickford’s crossbar in the first half.
Jordan Pickford’s partner Megan Davison and Jack Grealish’s girlfriend Sasha Attwood were also looking less than impressed in the stands at the Al Bayt Stadium.

Jack Grealish’s girlfriend Sasha Attwood looked glum as she watched onCredit: PA
Bukayo Saka’s girlfriend Tolami Benson was left underwhelmed tooCredit: World Cup News Pool (WCNP) – England vs USA

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Kyle Walker’s partner Annie Kilner, Bukayo Saka’s girlfriend Tolami Benson and James Maddison’s other half Kennedy Alexa also watched on.
Despite the flop, Southgate’s side are still in pole position in Group B following the win over Iran.
They will progress to the last-16 as long as they don’t lose by FOUR goals to Wales on Tuesday. More