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FBL-WC-2018-ENG-PAN PREVIEW
England seek trusty lieutenants to captain Kane
REPINO, Russia, June 23, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Handed a winning start for the
first time in a major tournament for 12 years by captain Harry Kane’s injury-
time winner against Tunisia, England can look forward to Sunday’s meeting
with Panama with a rare sense of World Cup calm.
A two-time Premier League Golden Boot winner, Kane banished any remaining
doubts over his ability to perform on the biggest stage for his country with
the first double by an English player at the World Cup since Gary Lineker in
1990.
But Kane’s heroics in Volgograd papered over the cracks of his team-mates’
failure to find the net with a host of simple first-half chances.
Raheem Sterling and Jesse Lingard were particularly culpable and while
Kane saved an inquest into England’s profligacy and ponderous second-half
performance, Sterling’s place against Panama may now be in jeopardy.
The first media storm of a hitherto relaxed campaign for the Three Lions
was brewing on Friday after Gareth Southgate’s planned team was inadvertently
revealed when assistant manager Steve Holland’s notes were photographed at
training on Thursday.
According to the notes, Marcus Rashford will replace Sterling with Ruben
Loftus-Cheek stepping in for Dele Alli, who suffered a thigh injury against
Tunisia.
Southgate criticised the media for giving England’s opponents an upper
hand.
“If we were to give the opposition the opportunity of having our team it’s
a disadvantage to us,” said Southgate.
“So of course our media has to decide if they want to help the team or
not.”
In contrast to his 23-goal season at club level for Premier League
champions Manchester City, Sterling now hasn’t scored in his last 21
internationals.
However, Rashford refuted suggestions England are too dependent on Kane
for goals.
“I don’t think that’s happening in this group,” said the Manchester United
striker, who admitted to being an admirer of Kane’s ability to be in the
right place at the right time.
“He gets himself in great positons. If we can find him, we will, and, more
often than not, he’s going to score.”
At 20, Rashford is just one of a host of exciting young English talents as
Southgate took the third youngest squad in the tournament to Russia.
And Holland believes a more clinical touch in front of goal will come with
experience.
“It’s psychological, it’s about pushing the players to be match-winners
but it is also a process,” he said. “It might just take the time that it
takes.
“If you imagine these guys in a couple of years, and I hope I’m still
around then, once they’ve become more seasoned at this level, that could be
really exciting. It already is now.”
Racking up goals against Panama could be crucial if England are to top
Group G.
Highly-fancied Belgium soared to the top of the group by easing past the
World Cup debutants 3-0 in their opening game.
Victory in Nizhny Novgorod will guarantee England’s place in the last 16
as long as Tunisia fail to beat Belgium on Saturday.
BSS/AFP/AU/07:40 hrs