The Three Lions start their World Cup campaign in style. Southgate’s team gets the first three points in group B.
England on Monday thrashed Iran 6-2 to get their 2022 World Cup campaign off to a bright start at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar.
This was England’s biggest win in the opening game of a major tournament and only the second time in competitive tournament history England have scored six. The first time was Southgate’s doing, too – against Panama in 2018.
Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka scored for his country in the 43rd and 62nd minutes in his first ever FIFA World Cup tournament.
Gareth Southgate’s youthful side took the lead through a header from Jude Bellingham before Saka and Raheem Sterling scored later in the first half in a dominant display.
Jack Grealish and Marcus Rashford, joined by Saka doubled the score line in the second half to secure all three points for their side.
Gareth Southgate’s call to start Saka ahead of Manchester City’s Phil Foden was vindicated, while his decision to stick with stalwarts Harry Maguire and Raheem Sterling despite their poor club form also paid dividends.
Mehdi Taremi got Iran on the scoresheet midway through the second half and netted a penalty deep into stoppage time, but that was scant consolation as further strikes from Saka and substitutes Marcus Rashford and Jack Grealish once again demonstrated the taste Southgate’s England have for tournament football.
