Sunday, 3 June 2018

England 2-1 Nigeria: Gary Cahill and Harry Kane both on target as Gareth Southgate's men show promise in first dress rehearsal ahead of World Cup

  • Gary Cahill opened the scoring for England after just seven minutes with a thumping header from a corner  
  • Harry Kane doubled the lead with a long-ranged powerful drive as England went into the break in full control
  • Nigeria made four changes at the interval and came out reinvigorated with Alex Iwobi quickly halving the lead
  • England were not at the races in the second half but were fairly comfortable and saw out the match to win

  • The halcyon days of building up an England team as potential world champions on the basis of a decent half in a friendly have long since died a slow death, killed off by serial disappointments and the discomforting encroaching reality of England’s real place in the world game.
    So no one was ready to pronounce that this was England restored after as good a first-half display they have shown under Gareth Southgate.
    Which was sagacious given that, as if to dampen any burgeoning expectation, this team then amply demonstrated their vulnerabilities in the second half.
    Gary Cahill put Gareth Southgate's men into the lead early on at Wembley with a thumping header from a corner kick
    Gary Cahill put Gareth Southgate's men into the lead early on at Wembley with a thumping header from a corner kick
    The England defender got above his marker and powerfully headed the ball into the top corner of the net to score the opener
    The England defender got above his marker and powerfully headed the ball into the top corner of the net to score the opener
    Harry Kane's struck a low drive from long range through the hands of the Nigeria keeper to double England's advantage
    Harry Kane's struck a low drive from long range through the hands of the Nigeria keeper to double England's advantage
    Nigeria came out a different side after the break and halved the deficit through Alex Iwobi's well-placed finish
    Nigeria came out a different side after the break and halved the deficit through Alex Iwobi's well-placed finish

    MATCH FACTS, PLAYER RATINGS AND MATCH ZONE

    England (3-4-3): Pickford 6, Trippier 7.5, Stones 5.5, Cahill 7, Walker 6, Young 6.5 (Rose 67) 6, Dier 6, Lingard 6 (Loftus-Cheek 67) 6, Alli 6.5 (Delph 81) 6, Sterling 7 (Rashford 73) 6, Kane 6.5 (Welbeck 73) 5.5
    Subs not used: Pope, Heaton, Butland, Maguire, Livermore, Lallana, Vardy
    Goalscorers: Cahill (7), Kane (39)
    Booked: Sterling
    Manager: Gareth Southgate 6.5
    Nigeria (4-3-3): Uzoho 5; Shehu 5 (Oghenekaro 6, 45), Haddad 5.5, Balogun 5 (Ogu 6, 45), Idowu 6; Mikel 6, Obi 5 (Omeruo 6, 45), Onazi 5 (Ebuehi 6.5, 45); Moses 6 (Musa 6, 63), Ighalo 6 (Iheanacho 6, 77), Iwobi 6.5
    Subs not used: Akpeyi, Ezenwa, Aina, Echiejile, Ndidi, Simy, Awaziem, Agu
    Goalscorers: Iwobi (47)
    Booked: Musa
    Manager: Gernot Rohr 6
    Referee: Marco Guida 6
    Attendance: 70,025
    Star Man: Trippier


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