Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling showed promise in attack but England must be more clinical and tactically astute when they face Tunisia in the first group game in RussiaThe best part of England’s performance against Nigeria was the interaction between their forwards during the first half. Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling formed a front two ready to exploit any space in the opposition’s back four. Behind them Jesse Lingard and Dele Alli played intelligently, almost taking it in turns to spring forward from midfield or look to bisect the opposition with a through ball. This was all promising. What the team needed was more decisive finishing. Related: England blow hot and cold against Nigeria after Gary Cahill’s quick start Continue...
Gareth Southgate’s World Cup captain Harry Kane did what he has done in every game in which he has led England: he scored. Plus Nigerian replica shirt mania grips the capitalThis was Harry Kane’s first international appearance since he was named’s England’s captain for the World Cup by Gareth Southgate and he did what he has always done when leading his country – score. It is now six goals in five games with the armband and while his effort here should have been saved by Nigeria’s goalkeeper, Francis Uzoho, it was still hit with a level of decisiveness and snap that suggests the Tottenham forward is heading to Russia in good nick, mentally as well as physically, with his general...
The forward – who has been attracting all the scrutiny, from tattoos to timekeeping – gave his manager reason for encouragement in the 2-1 victory against NigeriaRaheem Sterling might not have played here and would have accepted missing out. Gareth Southgate’s original intention had been to leave the forward out for the friendly against Nigeria as punishment for a tardy arrival at the national squad’s training camp last month.Yet, in the context of the player coming “under fire from every other direction” over the last week, the manager recognised this was the time to stand by his man. The protective shield flung down around one of their own is starting to feel like an indication of England’s strength. Related: England...
Nigeria’s players could not have a bigger incentive to perform well against England at WembleyThe main event will kick off in a couple of weeks but for Nigeria Saturday’s meeting with England is more than a warm-up. For some Super Eagles, at least, the heat is really on. Unlike Gareth Southgate, Nigeria’s manager, Gernot Rohr, has not settled on the squad that he will take to the World Cup, preferring initially to name a 30-man panel before ditching surplus players in instalments as if trying to lend his selection process some of the suspense and agony of a reality TV show.Four players were evicted after Monday’s 1-1 draw with the Democratic Republic of Congo, while a fifth, the Gent winger...
The goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa faces the biggest match of his Nigeria career in Friday’s qualifier against Cameroon, who have nine players unavailable in protest at their own FADiego Costa would have fainted on the spot. This summer Marcelo Bielsa took charge of Lille and quickly compiled a list of 11 players whom he did not plan to use – and then he relayed the news by text message. Between them the XI had 274 caps, with Nigeria’s Vincent Enyeama holding 101 of those. He seemed unlikely to add to that tally but now, as the Super Eagles face a critical pair of World Cup qualifiers against Cameroon, the African champions, many of his compatriots wish they could call on a...