England vs Ivory Coast LIVE: Result, final score and reaction from international fixture
Relive all the action from Wembley as the Three Lions continued their World Cup preparations
Stand-in skipper Raheem Sterling set up one and scored another as England cruised to victory in a friendly against Ivory Coast that felt more like a training match after Serge Aurier’s sending off.
Gareth Southgate made 10 changes from Saturday’s comeback win against well-drilled Switzerland as World Cup preparations continued with a first-ever senior international meeting of these nations.
Sterling crossed for Ollie Watkins’ opener and added a second shortly after Aurier’s first-half sending off, with many having left Wembley by the time Tyrone Mings headed home to make it 3-0 at the death. Relive all the action below:
Harry Maguire rises above boos to remain resolute for England
There was a moment midway through the first half of England’s comfortable win over Ivory Coast where a scooped, mis-hit back pass ballooned into the air and began to drop above the head of Harry Maguire. It is a sizable head, as you may have heard, and was at one time enough to earn him cult status among the supporters who follow him. You might call it his defining feature.
Except, it isn’t. Though built like your archetypal centre-half, a bit top-heavy and as wide as he is tall, Maguire’s gifts are in his feet. As the ball fell from the sky above him, he did not head it away. Instead he backed up, set himself and plucked out of the air with one of the finest first touches witnessed all evening at Wembley, which sent a ripple of applause and a gentle coo around the crowd.
You wondered, at that moment, if some of those staying silent had something of a guilty conscience. Wembley’s response to that first touch had been very different to the one which followed Maguire’s name before kick-off, when a small but vocal minority in attendance inexplicably booed their own player. It was not the first time it has happened to Maguire recently, either.
Harry Maguire rises above boos to remain resolute for England
The Manchester United captain was met with jeers before kick-off but slowly silenced his detractors
Raheem Sterling stars as England cruise past 10-man Ivory Coast
A last match before the countdown to Qatar really begins, and a first ever win for England over Cote d’Ivoire.
Whether this 3-0 win actually influences any of Gareth Southgate’s thinking for the World Cup itself remains to be seen, but it is all part of building a bigger picture - especially with the international calendar much more disjointed.
The England manager on Wednesday jets off for his first major date, going to Doha for Friday’s World Cup draw.
There was enough to ponder, as he gave a core of reserve players starts here. It is at least possible that four of the players who started this game - Tyrick Mitchell, James Ward-Prowse, Ollie Watkins and maybe even Ben White - will not be at the World Cup.
All gave decent accounts, especially Mitchell, which is more than can be said for Cote d’Ivoire.
Raheem Sterling stars as England cruise past 10-man Ivory Coast
England 3-0 Ivory Coast: Gareth Southgate’s side’s smooth progress towards the World Cup continued with a routine win to end the international break
England 3 - 0 Ivory Coast
Tyrone Mings adds England’s third in stoppage time to seal a comfortable win over Ivory Coast.
Full-time: England 3 - 0 Ivory Coast
90+4 mins: All over at Wembley. A comfortable win for England and Gareth Southgate. They were always in control after Serge Aurier got himself sent off.
GOAL! England 3 - 0 Ivory Coast (Mings, 90+3’)⚽️
90+3 mins: They’ve got three! Phil Foden takes the corner and whips the ball onto the head of Tyrone Mings. He nods it into the ground and the ball bounces up past Ali Sangare to finish in the back of the net.
England 2 - 0 Ivory Coast
90+2 mins: Nearly! Gallagher gives the ball to Foden on the right wing and he threads the ball to the byline. Walker-Peters keeps it alive with his underlapping run and cuts it back to Emile Smith Rowe whose shot is deflected out for a corner!
England 2 - 0 Ivory Coast
90 mins: Three minutes of added time to play at Wembley. Can England get another goal?
England 2 - 0 Ivory Coast
87 mins: Konan attempts to weave in between Foden and Walker-Peters on his way towards the England penalty area but gets closed down and has to release the ball. He gets clipped by Foden and goes down looking for a free kick but the referee lets play go on.
England 2 - 0 Ivory Coast
82 mins: England are slotting the ball around nicely now. They’re in total control and are looking for that cutting pass into the Ivory Coast penalty area. Phil Foden and Kyle Walker-Peters both get forward on the right side before Foden darts across the front edge of the box and sends a shot way over the crossbar.
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