International friendly between two close rivals sees Gareth Southgate and Ryan Giggs face off as managers for the first time. Before the game, Southgate said “no such thing as a friendly” emphasising his demand for a victory.
The Three Lions are expected to hand out debuts to players such as Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Bakayo Saka whom have started the season on fire. Ross Bray reports.
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KICK OFF!
The game begins with the Three Lions attacking from right to left in the first half.
3′ – England beginning this game with a trusted back three, of which has been criticised for being too defensive in a side with mercurial attacking talent.
4′ CORNER – Wales’ first attack of the game sees them win a corner which leads to nothing.
6′ CHANCE – England win a corner whereby Michael Keane gets his head to the ball, only for it to brush the top of his head and away from goal. Southgate perhaps would have preferred a towering header in that position.
12′ CHANCE – Calvert-Lewin takes the ball around Hennessey but is unable to find enough power in the shot and is cleared.
18′ – Wales having the fair share of possession so far and are knocking the ball around confidently, England, though, have the pace and quality to cause trouble.
20′ CHANCE – Chris Mepham shoots just wide after a free kick which was cleared and sent back in. Debutant Saka showing a few nerves as his sloppy clearance falls straight to the Sheffield United Defender.
25′ GOAL – England 1 – 0 Wales (Calvert-Lewin)
Brilliant England goal as Jack Grealish receives the ball on the right hand side and whips a delicious ball into the man in-form Calvert-Lewin who heads it home from a 3 yards out. Giggs will be disappointed that Calvert-Lewin was able to find so much space in the area.
29′ CHANCE – A long ball nearly evades the whole England defence but Nick Pope is equal to Moore’s attempt to go round him.
31′ INJURY – Moore is down for Wales and is receiving treatment but is able to continue.
37′ CHANCE – Kalvin Phillips swings in a deep corner where Keane keeps the ball alive and swings a Beckham-esque cross for Coady who fires over.
England looking for lively since the goal.
39′ SUBSTITUTION for Wales –
Nico Williams (ON)
Kieffer Moore (OFF)
42 – YELLOW CARD – Connor Roberts
Roberts leaves a rough tackle on Saka down the left.
44′ – With half time approaching, Southgate will definitely be the happier manager with his inexperienced team finishing the only real clear cut chance of the match. Giggs will want to see a bit more urgency from his players who started the game with more of ball but England have grown into the game.
47′ CHANCE – Sub Williams with a fantastic cross but the header is fluffed and sails away from goal
HALF TIME – ENGLAND 1 – 0 WALES
HT – You have to feel for Ryan Giggs and Wales, missing talisman Gareth Bale and star midfielder Aaron Ramsey. With these players you would expect a fascinating game. That said, the understudies have put a shift in nullifying the quality England have up front by only allowing one clear cut chance – that Calvert-Lewin was never going to miss.
Southgate, despite being a goal up, will be demanding more from his players to see out this game. As football fans, we all know that anything can happen and the one goal lead may not be enough.
DOUBLE SUBSTITUTION for Wales –
Dylan Levitt (ON)
Ben Cabango (ON)
Joe Rodon (OFF)
Joe Morrell (OFF)
KICK OFF – Second half begins
48′ England starting this half better than the first. Knocking the ball around well and will look to tire the Wales players.
49′ CHANCE – Roberts gets a sight of goal from the right hand side of the England box, but drags it wide.
53′ GOAL! ENGLAND 2-0 WALES (Conor Coady)
What did I say? Hat trick incoming for Coady and we are a third of the way there! A free kick by Trippier from the right hand side evades everyone in the area for Coady to smash it in from close range with his left foot.
There will be an inquest into the Wales marking.
Embed from Getty Images55′ OFFSIDE – Matondo is flagged offside on this near left hand side and smacks the post for his troubles.
57′ YELLOW CARD – Ethan Ampadu is booked for a foul on Grealish. Can’t complain.
58′ TRIPLE SUBSTITUTION – for England
Reece James (ON)
Tyrone Mings (ON)
Mason Mount (ON)
Kieran Trippier (OFF)
Dominic Calvert-Lewin (OFF)
Joe Gomez (OFF)
Embed from Getty Images61′ YELLOW CARD – Dylan Levitt
Only been on the pitch a matter of minutes and is already in the referee’s book.
62′ SUBSTITUTION for Wales
Will Vaulks (ON)
Ethan Ampadu (OFF)
63′ GOAL! ENGLAND 3-0 WALES (Danny Ings)
What an overhead kick by Ings to make it three for the Three Lions! Once again, Giggs will be wondering how England were able to win the headers so easily as the ball is swung in and Mings heads the ball back across the six yard box for Ings. His wonderful acrobatic attempt makes it three for England!
66′ CHANCE – England starting to toy with Wales now as Grealish gets beyond Roberts and fizzes a low ball across the six yard box which has Hennessey scrambling.
69′ CHANCE – Saka is in acres of space on the left hand side after a through ball by Mount. His strike is saved well by Hennessey to keep it three.
71′ SHOT – Sub Vaulks takes aim from distance but his shot continues to rise over.
73′ DOUBLE SUBSTITUTION for Wales –
Chris Gunter (ON)
Matthew Smith (ON)
Connor Roberts (OFF)
Jonny Williams (OFF)
75′ TRIPLE SUBSTITUTION for England –
James Ward-Prowse (ON)
Ainsley Maitland-Niles (ON)
Harvey Barnes (ON)
Bakayo Saka (OFF)
Danny Ings (OFF)
Jack Grealish (OFF)
77′ – In another world, if there were fans in the stadium for this game you would expect a standing ovation for Jack Grealish’s performance tonight, not fazed by the occasion and carried his form for Aston Villa into his England performance.
Embed from Getty Images79′ – Gareth Southgate on the sideline applauding his players. He will be delighted with a professional second half performance, barring a miraculous collapse in the final ten.
81′ FOUL – England lift a free kick into the box towards Keane but is beaten in the air and gives away a foul for pushing.
83′ DOUBLE CHANCE – New boy Mainland-Niles dwells on the ball as he tries dribbling towards the six yard line but is intercepted.
Immediately after, Ings receives the ball in space on the edge of the box and manipulates the ball into a shooting chance where he forces a fine save out of Hennessey.
84′ CHANCE – From the resulting corner, Phillips swings the ball into Mings who can’t get a clean header on the ball and Hennessey claims it comfortably.
86′ INJURY – Mepham goes down after a challenge with Danny Ings. Doesn’t look good especially with his recent injury problems.
88′ – A comfortable save for Pope after a short corner taken by Wales. A reliable performance by Pope keeping his concentration up after being called upon rarely.
90′ – Ings revives the ball down the right hand side and tries to find Mount on the edge of the box but is intercepted well. Wales players cannot wait for the final whistle.
FULL TIME – ENGLAND 3 – 0 WALES
