England player ratings: Gordon the clear winner in 3-0 World Cup warm-up win over Costa Rica | OneFootball

That was more like it. England were better than they were against New Zealand in something that far more resembled a football match against a limited but physical and committed Costa Rica side.

Thomas Tuchel still has some decisions to make about his starting XI for the real business of Croatia next week, and the likes of Anthony Gordon and others advanced their cause. But it would be hard to say anyone went backwards here, although Noni ‘Rosenthal’ Madueke will be relieved his astonishing first-half miss didn’t happen in more meaningful circumstances.

No injuries is the other big good news. And three goals all from players not called Harry Kane is probably also a decent sign. Maybe it is coming home.

Jordan Pickford

Had almost nothing to do beyond one shanked clearance that was crying out to be lifted back over the stranded keeper. Costa Rica passed up that opportunity and had precious few others.

Reece James

Didn’t have much defending to do but did play one particularly gorgeous ball over the top for Noni Madueke. For James more than anyone, the 63 minutes under the belt feel like the most important thing. Fair to say tougher tests await, but also absolutely no easier ones.

Nico O’Reilly

Defensive concerns are for another day. If England get far enough for that to be a valid concern, then happy days. He’s such a potent attacking threat that he has to be the starting left-back. If somewhere down the line England need the 1v1 defending and recovery pace of the man in the mask Djed Spence, then so be it. But O’Reilly looks increasingly locked in as Plan A, and the patterns he, Gordon and Rice were weaving on the left-hand side were mighty encouraging.

Ezri Konsa

No notes. Just quite literally no notes. This was not a day for England centre-backs to shine. Konsa did fine, Konsa is fine, this is all fine.

John Stones

Given the nod at left centre-back and we learnt almost nothing about that as a plan. That is absolutely not Stones fault, though, and there was the usual calmness in possession and pleasant passing that we’ve come to expect over the years.

Declan Rice

Non-Kane goals are a key point of discussion and enormously welcome for England. There’s a far clearer idea with Tuchel than there ever was with Gareth, god love him, that exploiting the all-round genius of Kane is the clearest of Plan As. The squad has been built around Kane’s all-round game. It’s why the likes of Gordon and Madueke are here and why your Fodens and Palmers are not.

But Rice feels just as key to this whole strategy, and this was an encouraging effort.

Rice’s goal came in the ninth minute and was very much not the first time he’d roamed forward from midfield in the certain knowledge Anderson would have his back. If England are to do anything of note at this World Cup, it feels like this is going to be a key feature of it all.

His work heading back towards his own goal was never likely to be particularly tested here, but there was one eye-catching moment when he ran down a Costa Rica attack to prevent any danger developing.

Rice does, though, definitely need a bit more practice delivering his trademark set-pieces with this year’s tournament ball. The Trionda has massive forecourt flyaway and dare we say it Jabulani vibes, and the sight of Rice’s usually whipped and pacy corners and free-kicks floating around the Orlando sky like balloons is no good for England at all.

Elliot Anderson

We love just how quickly it looks like Rice and Anderson have just always played together. We can argue all night about whether he’s worth £120m – and at one point during the storm delay thought we might actually have to – but his value to this team is so clear.

Anderson is a fine player in his own right, but his reassuring presence allows Rice to be all he can be for the Three Lions. It’s a winning combination.

Jude Bellingham

Drifted in and out of the game, but when he drifted in he was very in indeed.

Wonderful pass to set Madueke away, with ultimately disappointing results, but then sensational dancing feet to wriggle through the penalty area to tee up Ebere Eze, whose shot was handled to earn England the penalty for 2-0. Notable too that this happened in the brief period before he too made way when Bellingham had shuffled forward into a false nine role after Kane went off.

Noni Madueke

Use your right foot, Noni Rosenthal. An astonishing miss after rounding the keeper was the unavoidable ‘highlight’ of a first half full of enterprising running and encouraging signs.

But that really was some miss, contriving to hit the post from a couple of yards out with the goal gaping. Did feel like an unnecessarily high-tariff finish he attempted in the circumstances.

Anthony Gordon

Left a pass short for Kane to end a promising move, but showed his pace from a standing start to leave the Costa Rica defence trailing to tee up Declan Rice for an opening goal that was good news for everyone apart from possibly Marcus Rashford.

We assume the Lightning pace Gordon showed in those early skirmishes will have particularly pleased Ian Wright after his pre-match revelation that his favourite film is Cars. We spent more of the subsequent first half than we care to admit workshopping ‘Gordon McQueen’ jokes that never really got anywhere. Unlike Gordon himself, whose persistence and movement won a penalty late in the half before VAR got needlessly involved, as is its wont.

When England eventually did win a penalty minutes after Kane had left the field, Gordon simply Kaned it into the top corner. Good decision.

Harry Kane

Sent one shot high over the bar from the sort of 16-to-22-yard range from which he’s the best in the world, doing nothing to quieten the ‘Jabulani with a paint job’ concerns around the Trionda.

Dropped deep to play a wonderful ball in for Gordon that seemed to have won England a penalty, only for VAR to say no. Departed just after the hour, to ready himself for the real business to come.

SUBSTITUTES

Dean Henderson (for Pickford, 63)

Was not overly exercised. From memory, his only touch was from a Marc Guehi backpass.

Djed Spence (for James, 63)

Played nine minutes at right-back and 20 at left-back. Didn’t have much to do in either role, but the fact he can do both is a factor.

Eberechi Eze (for Rice, 63)

Seemed to be enjoying himself against a wearying Costa Rica defence and it was his shot elbowed away to earn England a penalty.

Morgan Rogers (for Kane, 63)

Missed a glorious chance, but an encouraging sign for England and all the late subs was that there wasn’t the usual petering out and lack of cohesion that comes with your classic friendly-international Raft Of Changes. England’s football remained crisp and purposeful all round.

Marc Guehi (for Stones, 63)

We assume Tuchel knows which of his centre-backs are going to start for the real business, but absolutely nothing any of them did tonight will have had much to do with it. All very straightforward.

Bukayo Saka (for Madueke, 64)

His minutes are still being managed, but he was lively enough here when he came on and took the captain’s armband in what was by now the absence of both Kane and Rice.

Jarell Quansah (for Konsa, 71)

A good change, because Quansah and Konsa on the pitch together is just too confusing a commentary prospect.

Ollie Watkins (for Bellingham, 71)

Poacher’s goal to bag England’s third, and there is absolutely no downside to a player in Watkins’ recent goalscoring form to remain as such.

Dan Burn (for O’Reilly, 71)

A sweeping ball over the top on 95 minutes was welcome, because we had absolutely nothing to say about Burn until that point. Again, not his fault.

Kobbie Mainoo (for Anderson, 72)

One lovely darting run earned England a free-kick and would, we suspect, have seen Costa Rica down to 10 in a competitive game as the already-booked Salazar chopped him down.

Marcus Rashford (for Gordon, 72)

Had a bit of a point to prove given Gordon’s eye-catching performance and was prominent in England’s attacking fun as Costa Rica wilted, with a good ball through for Watkins a highlight.