Andorra 0 – 1 England

Harry Kane scored the one aim as lacklustre England laboured to a 1-0 World Cup qualifying win over Andorra.

It is three wins from three for Thomas Tuchel’s facet in Group Ok however this was an underwhelming step on the highway to the World Cup.

England’s struggles to interrupt by way of the defences of their 173rd-ranked opponents can have finished little to persuade observers of their credentials to go on and win the event subsequent summer season.

They have been booed off by a few of their supporters contained in the sparsely populated Espanyol stadium at half-time and though Kane ultimately transformed from shut vary quickly after the interval, there was little in the way in which of leisure served as much as the Three Lions followers who had made the journey to Spain. Disgruntled, they made their emotions clear once more at full-time.

Noni Madueke provided Kane for that simple end and the Chelsea winger was the one participant to actually additional their prospects beneath Tuchel, including some velocity and function to an in any other case second-gear show. He ought to have marked his efficiency with a late tap-in however as a substitute tried to go to Anthony Gordon.

There have been poor touches and off-target passes as a disjointed England put in a disjointed first-half efficiency – and that lack of verve and precision continued by way of the competition. Curtis Jones was out of kinds as makeshift right-back, Dan Burn off the tempo and Cole Palmer largely ineffective.

Jude Bellingham and Morgan Rogers confirmed flashes of their high quality and sub Eberechi Eze had a header tipped over late on however England have been badly lacking a spark within the ultimate third in opposition to decided and well-organised opposition. That may be a acquainted concern from the previous Euros marketing campaign.

There was even a little bit of fortune for England that Ricard Fernandez or Guillaume Lopez did not capitalise on a few harmful positions Andorra labored their manner into throughout the second half. That might have turned a irritating night into an alarming one.

The excessive temperatures in Barcelona did not assist the spectacle, with England’s play missing tempo in addition to inspiration at instances. The scheduling of the sport, on the finish of the season is one other caveat.

However whereas this was a distinct situation totally, England’s degree was miles away from the performances potential World Cup rivals Spain, France, Germany and Portugal have produced this previous week within the Nations League semi-finals. They’ve important strides to make earlier than subsequent summer season in the event that they need to ship tournament-winning performances within the warmth of a North American World Cup.

Tuchel: We lacked high quality, urgency and power

England supervisor Thomas Tuchel on ITV:

“We’re not pleased with the efficiency, after all. We began fairly nicely within the first 20 or 25 minutes, however that was the one time it felt prefer it was solely a matter of time. We created plenty of possibilities, half-chances and set items, and it felt like we have been going to attain and carry on going.

“However we utterly misplaced our momentum and could not get it again from the entire of the primary half. We received slightly bit within the first quarter-hour of the second, however then ended up in a interval which was by far not adequate.

“There was a scarcity of urgency, high quality and power.”

Kane: We stored giving it away

England captain Harry Kane to ITV:

“For positive, we are able to play higher. It wasn’t our best efficiency, not lots of people will keep in mind it however we are able to study from it. It is very popular, a dry pitch, very comparable situations to the World Cup subsequent 12 months.

“We’ll go away and analyse, we had good spells within the recreation however we could not persistently have assault after assault. We take the factors and transfer on.

“We weren’t adequate on the ball, there weren’t sufficient ahead passes and an important factor is we stored giving it away. That gave them confidence and power. At 1-0 with 5 or 10 minutes to go it’s a must to watch out, as a result of it is an necessary recreation to get three factors in.”

Evaluation: Tuchel left with extra questions than solutions

Sky Sports activities Information’ Rob Dorsett in Barcelona:

“Tuchel tinkered however he leaves Barcelona with extra questions than solutions. For me, he overcomplicated it, with so many gamers out of place. England lacked power and invention, and however for the good Madueke, it may need been a lot worse. It was he who pestered and probed, till his excellent cross discovered Kane sliding in on the again publish for England’s solely aim.

“Credit score Andorra, who defended brilliantly, however England requested far too few questions of them over 90 minutes. Tuchel can have some tough inquiries to reply. And he must admit he received this one incorrect.

“A 1-0 victory over the fourth-worst workforce in the entire of Europe is tantamount to a humiliation. And the England assist let the gamers know precisely how they felt on the ultimate whistle.”

Keane questions England perspective

Sky Sports activities’ Roy Keane on ITV:

“We attempt to make excuses for England however I assumed once they scored the aim they felt it was job finished. I used to be actually disenchanted with their perspective once they scored. The supervisor cannot be pleased with the hassle within the final half hour.

“Total, notably within the second half, the perspective wasn’t nice.”

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