England 6-2 Iran.
England started their World Cup campaign in perfect style on Monday afternoon. Gareth Southgate’s side took on Iran at the Khalifa International Stadium and recorded a comfortable win.
Bukayo Saka (2), Jude Bellingham, Raheem Sterling, Marcus Rashford and Jack Grealish scored the goals for England. Mehdi Taremi scored two consolation goals for Iran, including a late penalty. Here is how we rated the England players in the Group B clash.
England player ratings.
Jordan Pickford – 7
The Everton goalkeeper had one of the quietest matches of his international career but couldn’t do much to prevent Mehdi Taremi’s goal. He made a decent save in stoppage time, before conceding a goal from the penalty spot.
Kieran Tripper – 7
Tripper offered England an attacking threat and played plenty of crosses into the box. The Newcastle full-back did enough to keep his place ahead of Trent Alexander-Arnold for Friday’s match against the United States.
Harry Maguire – 8
Many England fans have questioned Maguire’s inclusion, but the Man United captain arguably showed why Southgate has shown such faith in him. Maguire was comfortable in defence and played a part in England’s first two goals.
The defender broke the lines with a pass into Mason Mount in the build-up to Bellingham’s goal. For Saka’s first goal, it was his header that led to the ball bouncing free for the Arsenal forward. He was forced off injured in the second half.
John Stones – 7
The Man City defender was neat in possession and largely untested at the back. He arguably didn’t get across quickly enough to prevent Taremi’s strike.
Luke Shaw – 7
The Man United full-back provided England with width in attack and delivered a perfect cross for Bellingham to open the scoring.
Declan Rice – 7
Rice was England’s deepest midfielder and kept play ticking over with his precise passing. He will have more difficult midfield battles as the tournament progresses.
Jude Bellingham – 9
Bellingham is England’s youngest player, but the Borussia Dortmund midfielder looked like one of the most composed and experienced players on the pitch.
Bellingham constantly took the ball from the England defenders and helped stretch the Iranian defence with his passing. He also showed he can be a goal-scoring threat.
The 19-year-old gave Southgate’s side the lead with a brilliant header after 35 minutes. Bellingham arrived late in the Iran penalty area before cushioning home a deft header.
For England’s third goal, Bellingham carried the ball into the final third before finding Harry Kane with a pass. He became the second teenager to score for England at the World Cup, after Michael Owen in 1998.
Jude Bellingham's first World Cup half:
◾️ 40/40 passes completed
◾️ 10/10 passes completed in the final third
◾️ Second youngest English scorer at the World CupBaller.#FIFAWorldCup #ENGIRN pic.twitter.com/oliV052GIZ
— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) November 21, 2022
Mason Mount – 7
The Chelsea midfielder was involved in the build-up to England’s opener, collecting a pass through the lines from Maguire before playing it out to Shaw who teed up Bellingham.
Bukayo Saka – 9
The Arsenal forward started the game well and helped England press Iran high up the pitch. He then showed his immense talent with a wonderful strike before half-time.
Saka scored a wonderful, dipping strike after the ball bounced free to him in the penalty area. He then doubled his tally with a brilliant goal in the second half, showing great composure before slotting the ball into the bottom corner.
Saka has now already scored more goals at a World Cup than England legend Wayne Rooney.
Raheem Sterling – 8
Sterling has had a difficult season so far with Chelsea, but he showed his class with an excellent first-time finish to make it 3-0. He also helped set up Saka’s second goal.
Harry Kane – 8.5
The England captain was on the edge of the game in the first half, and only had nine touches in the opening period, but one of those was an inch-perfect cross for Sterling to score.
Kane was more involved in the second half and he helped knit England’s attack together. He brought Saka and Sterling into the match and set up Rashford’s goal.
Substitutes.
Eric Dier – 7
Jack Grealish – 8
Marcus Rashford – 8
Phil Foden – 7
Callum Wilson – 8
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