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England kicked off their preparations for Euro 2020 with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Austria. Bukayo Saka’s second-half winner secured the win for the Three Lions at the Riverside Stadium on Wednesday evening.
The first half saw England dominate possession without being able to break through a well-drilled Austrian defense. Both sides had occasional glimpses of goal but were unable to fashion too many clear-cut chances, going in at the interval on a fairly even footing.
And, with both sides looking to step it up a level in the second half, it was England that made the breakthrough in the 57th minute. Following up on a pacy counter-attack led by Harry Kane, Saka pounced on a loose ball in the box. The Arsenal man fired home his first international goal from an acute angle to break the deadlock.
Saka’s goal seemed to jolt Austria into action, who proceeded to go on the offensive and test the relatively inexperienced English back line. The visitors went agonizingly close on a number of occasions, firing narrowly wide, hitting the woodwork and even forcing a goalline clearance in the dying stages of the game. But a leveler proved to be beyond their reach.
On the other hand, Gareth Southgate’s men were given plenty to think about by their dogged opponents. Not only was the English defense put under severe pressure in the second half, but they also ended the game with a few of their players hobbling painfully after picking up knocks during the game. As such, Southgate still has plenty of crucial decisions to make as the tournament approaches fast.
On that note, here are England’s player ratings from the game.
Jordan Pickford: 7/10
Widely accepted as England’s number one for the Euros, Pickford acquitted himself well between the sticks. Not only did the Everton man display safe hands and quick reflexes, but he also showcased excellent distribution with several eye-catching passes out from the back.
Trent Alexander-Arnold: 5.5/10
Given the nod at right-back for this fixture, Alexander-Arnold regularly found himself in advanced positions but failed to make the most of those opportunities.
Worryingly for England, the Liverpool man was forced off late in the game due to injury, which would be a cause for great concern for Southgate and Co.
Conor Coady: 6/10
More accustomed to playing as part of a back three at club level, the Wolves skipper adjusted well to England’s back four and put in an assured display at centre-back.
Tyrone Mings: 6/10
The Aston Villa man was a commanding presence in the England box, winning several duels in the air as well as along the ground as he helped keep the Austrian attackers at bay.
Kieran Trippier: 6/10
One of several right-backs in the England squad, Trippier filled in well at left-back for this game as he was solid in defense and also got forward with some regularity.
Jude Bellingham: 6/10
Despite being one of the youngest players to start a game in England history, Bellingham looked quite at ease in the central midfield role alongside Rice, facing off against a number of his colleagues from the Bundesliga.
The youngster showed great energy and endurance as he contributed both offensively and defensively during the game.
Declan Rice: 6/10
While his midfield colleague Bellingham was assigned a more box-to-box role, Rice sat deep and formed an effective shield in front of his center backs while also linking up play between defense and attack.
Bukayo Saka: 7/10
Part of a select few genuine left-footers in the squad, Saka took up a place on England’s left flank and went about his business quietly and efficiently.
The Arsenal youngster reaped the rewards for his work rate in the second half as he popped up in the right place at the right time to net his first goal at international level.
Jesse Lingard: 5/10
Lingard was the only member of the starting eleven not to have made the cut for England’s squad for the Euros. He was full of running and popped up in several different areas around the attacking third but to no great avail.
Jack Grealish: 5/10
Playing in a roving role quite similar to the one he regularly essays at Villa, Grealish drifted in and out of the game as he looked to play his way back to peak match fitness.
Both he and Lingard alternatively popped up in support of Kane to keep the Austrian defense guessing.
Harry Kane: 6/10
While the England skipper was unable to convert the only clear-cut chance he got during his time on the pitch, his excellent movement and passing skills were instrumental in creating regular opportunities for his teammates.
Substitutes:
Ben Godfrey: 5/10
The Everton man came on for his England debut around the hour mark, slotting into the center of defense, where he gradually grew into the game after a nervy beginning.
James Ward-Prowse: 5/10
The Southampton man took up a place in the middle of the park for England, where he kept things quietly ticking over after coming on midway through the second half.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin: 6/10
Replacing Harry Kane up top, Calvert-Lewin proved to be a real handful for the Austrian defense as he used his physicality to great effect.
The Everton frontman could provide an excellent alternative to Kane at the Euros should England need to switch up their method of attack at any point during the tournament.
Ollie Watkins: 5/10
While he normally plays through the middle for Villa, Watkins played out wide on the left after coming on in the second half and caused a few problems with his pace and direct running.
Ben White: 6/10
The Brighton and Hove Albion youngster was another player to make his first senior appearance for England in this game.
Having first slotted into midfield after coming on in the second half, White moved into defense after Alexander-Arnold went off to help preserve his side’s clean sheet with a vital goal-line clearance in injury time.
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