[ad_1]
England began their World Cup qualifying campaign with a 5-0 defeat of San Marino when Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored twice and Ollie Watkins scored his debut with a goal.
On a Wembley night where Gareth Southgate could have done without defenders entirely, England played the lowest ranked nation in FIFA, which rarely exceeded the midline.
It was always going to be a case of how many England would score against San Marino rather than the empty Wembley result, where Southgate didn’t get the ruthless lead he asked for despite running out of 5-0 winners.
San Marino held out for 13 minutes before Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse opened the scoring, and his international tally, against the 210th-ranked team and last in the world before Everton forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin broke down. headed home.
Raheem Sterling, captaining the side in the absence of the rested Harry Kane, added a third deflected, which would be all England handled in the first half despite missing 22 shots.
Bad shots and good saves from inspired San Marino goalkeeper Elia Benedettini kept the score low, just as she did in the second half.
The rejuvenated Jesse Lingard marked his international comeback with an assist for Calvert-Lewin, whose replacement Watkins coldly opened his international account as the clock ran out.
[ad_2]