Phil Foden and Declan Rice both opened their England accounts as the Three Lions took all three points in the Nations League with a 4-0 win against Iceland.
Rice, 21, opened the scoring on 20 minutes with a header glanced into the bottom right corner following a delicious delivery from Foden.
Mason Mount then showed great awareness and skill in the box to evade an oncoming challenge before stabbing home, doubling England’s advantage on the night.
Foden scored a late double, arrowing a shot into the bottom corner and then, soon after, hitting a scorcher from distance which flew past Iceland goalkeeper Hannes Halldorsson – who was making his last appearance for his country.
At 20, Foden is the youngest player in the history of the England team to score more than once in a game at Wembley.
Having looked menacing all night, Foden came into his own in the last quarter of the game, scoring twice. He also pulled off an exquisite piece of skill, flicking a skewed clearance from Harry Maguire with his heel past a helpless Icelandic defender – who he then galloped away from in search of his hat-trick.
The game was viewed as a dead rubber by many, as Sunday’s defeat by Belgium meant that qualification for the Nations League finals was impossible for England, while Iceland were already relegated. Nonetheless, England manager Gareth Southgate saw the game as an opportunity to let his young stars shine, which they did to great effect.
Players such as Bukayo Saka, Foden and Rice will have certainly given Southgate something to think about with regards to selection for the delayed Euros next summer. Jack Grealish built on Sunday’s star showing with another fine performance under the Wembley lights but was ultimately unable to obtain the elusive England goal he so desperately craves.
Although the opposition weren’t as strong as some of the teams England will have to face next summer, Southgate will feel encouraged by the maturity of his youngsters’ performances. In addition, how well they seem to complement his more experienced players – such as captain Harry Kane and Maguire.
England will next be in action in March 2021 with the opposition yet to be confirmed. One thing is certain though, those games will be a marker for Southgate with regards to his tactics and team selection ahead of trying to win the Euros.
By Dylan Chavasse
