Led by the imbalance of Anthony Gordon, the England team beat a harmless Costa Rica 3-0 this Wednesday, in a match played in the American city of Orlando where the English tuned their machine with a view to the 2026 World Cup.
The English goals were scored by Declan Rise, Anthony Gordon and Ollie Watkins, which reflected the superiority exerted throughout the match, although the result could have been stronger against the fragile defense of the Costa Rican team led by Argentine coach Fernando Batista.
Barcelona’s new signing, winger Anthony Gordon, was the main figure of the English attack and this was demonstrated in the 9th minute when he made an individual play on the left, entered the area and served the ball on a back diagonal for Declan Rice to open the scoring with a cross shot.
English dominance turned the game into a monologue that could have closed the first 45 minutes in a rout if it weren’t for Costa Rican goalkeeper Patrick Sequeira, who with two good saves denied Harry Kane and Chukwunonso Madueke the goal.
Madueke himself had a very clear chance when he received a deep pass from Jude Bellingham, eluded the goalkeeper and when the goal seemed to be consummated his shot crashed into the vertical.
With almost no possession of the ball, the Costa Rican team, led by Argentine coach Fernando Batista, only managed to defend itself without clarity to go out and generate some dangerous play.
At the end of the first half, American referee Katja Koroleva awarded a penalty in favor of England for an alleged foul on Gordon, but reversed her decision after reviewing the play in the VAR.
In the second half the tone of the match was the same with a dominant England and a Costa Rica suffocated at the start and without ideas for the transition.
A great individual play by Bellingham led to a shot by Eze that deflected off the arm of the Costa Rican Araya, before which the referee awarded a penalty that was converted into a goal by Gordon in the 68th minute.
The 3-0 was the work of Ollie Watkins, who took advantage of a rebound from goalkeeper Abraham Madriz from close range after a shot by Rogers.
Starting in the 60th minute, coach Tuchel changed the entire English team to give the entire squad a feel and manage the vargas with a view to the 2026 World Cup, in which they will debut against Croatia on June 17, and then face Ghana, on the 23rd, and Panama on the 27th, their Group L rivals.
England tried insistently to increase the score, but the forwards looked unsuccessful when it came to finishing in front of the goal.
This was the third match between Costa Rica and England, with two English victories and a draw.
