[ad_1]
Coady’s goal for England was the first for any team since 2018
‘An incredible night’, ‘still in shock’, ‘the stuff of dreams’.
There were no supporters at Wembley on Thursday, but there was a rare sense of euphoria as England’s most inexperienced team in 40 years reveled in beating Wales.
In a night of firsts, rookie Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Conor Coady and Danny Ings scored their first international goals, the first time three England players have done so in the same game since 1963.
“It’s an amazing night,” Wolves defender Coady said.
“I’m still in shock, to be honest, it will live with me forever. It will be repeated at my house now, it’s an amazing night for me.”
- England’s best action and reaction against Wales Calvert-Lewin, Coady and Ings score England’s first goals in win over Wales England against Wales – Qualify Calvert-Lewin players – Out of league loan to England squad
Coady is not a man known for his prowess in front of goal. He is also not known for his shooting, with Thursday being the first time since March 2017 that he has had two attempted goals with his feet in one game.
In 240 games for his club team, he has scored just two, the most recent in Bolton in April 2018. For his country, however, he is scoring one goal every other game.
His goal was a free kick from Kieran Trippier, doubling his country’s lead.
“It was like I had never dreamed in my wildest dreams of music for England at Wembley,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live. “The feeling is absolutely incredible and my phone is ringing.
“When it fell on my foot, I felt that if I had contact it would enter and you saw in my face the feeling and the emotions that I was going through.
“The set pieces coach asked me if I had scored for Wolves and I told him not for a long time. He said we’ll try to change that.
“I can’t speak highly enough of what the guys have done for me. It is absolutely amazing and absolutely brilliant to have players like this representing our country.”
To cap off his night off, he finished the game with the captain’s armband, which was handed to him after Trippier was substituted with just over 30 minutes to go.
‘Zumbar is an understatement’
Calvert-Lewin has been the striker in form in the first weeks of the season, scoring nine goals in just six games for Everton, including two hat-tricks.
It took him 26 minutes to go off the mark for his country, waking up to return home with a cross from Jack Grealish, who excelled in his first outing for his country.
“It’s a shame there are no fans here to celebrate and my family isn’t here. It’s bittersweet in that sense, but scoring on my debut is a dream,” he told ITV Sport.
“I’ve worked really hard to get here. It feels like a long road, but I’m very happy to be here and to have the opportunity to score on my debut.”
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, he added: “I felt comfortable, I am very confident right now, scoring goals and enjoying my football. The only emotion I had was excitement and I couldn’t wait to get on the field. Buzz is an understatement. “.
A night of firsts for a renewed England England’s starting eleven pose for a team photo ahead of Thursday’s game.
The night of England’s firsts featured the debuts of four players: Calvert-Lewin, Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka, Leicester’s Harvey Barnes and Chelsea’s Reece James.
It is the first time since April / May 1933 that England have given four or more player debuts in consecutive international matches after Coady, Aston Villa’s Grealish, Leeds’ Kalvin Phillips and Arsenal’s Ainsley Maitland-Niles made their first appearances against Denmark in September.
Such was the inexperience of the team, its 54 caps were the fewest for an international since May 1980, when the XI for a match against Australia had only 46 matches between them.
The starting eleven also featured players from 10 different clubs (Burnley, Atlético de Madrid, Arsenal, Liverpool, Wolves, two from Everton, Spurs, Leeds, Southampton and Aston Villa), the most in a game since May 1997 against South Africa. .
Additionally, Calvert-Lewin became the 188th player to score in his England debut and the first Everton player to do so since Fred Pickering in 1964.
And Trippier captained England for the first time, becoming the first outfield player since David Beckham in June 2008 against Trinidad and Tobago captained England while playing for a non-English club (Atlético de Madrid).
‘Maybe we’ve changed Coady’s career path’
England manager Gareth Southgate was delighted with his team’s performance, after two disappointing performances in Nations League matches in Iceland and Denmark in September.
“It is very difficult for a new team to join without much experience,” he told ITV.
“It wasn’t fluid at first, but we got more and more into the game, the players saw the tactical problems that Wales posed for us when they were pushing and I thought we finished strong.”
He was also happy to see the trio score their first international goals and Grealish’s display.
“The three scorers were lovely moments, but it’s a shame there is no one here for them,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“Danny Ings took his goal really well, a bit of improvisation and Wayne Hennessey made a fantastic save with his curly shot.
“Conor Coady does not bet on set pieces for his club, they retain him, so maybe we have changed his career path in the next few months.
“We know exactly the type of player Jack Grealish is and he showed all the strengths he has tonight.
“It’s not a case of what we need to see, we know what we’ll see. I think the areas he was in for the goal he created is where we want him as much as possible. He will be very pleased with a strong debut.”
Source: bbc.com
[ad_2]