Harry Kane’s absence made little difference as England won 3-0 against neighbors Wales at Wembley.
Bayern Munich striker Kane was reduced to spectator role due to injury, but England quickly put the result beyond doubt with a clinical first-half performance.
Morgan Rogers opened his England account in the third minute, with Aston Villa colleague Ollie Watkins – leading the line in place of Kane – making it 2-0 eight minutes later.
Bukayo Saka’s spectacular long-range effort ended the game as a match, although Wales managed to prevent the scoreline from becoming more emphatic, now turning their attention to a crucial World Cup qualifier with Belgium on Monday. England travel to Latvia for their only qualifying match of the international break. Thomas Tuchel’s men will qualify for the World Cup if Serbia fail to beat Albania on Saturday.
England waste no time
England needed no second invitation to strike on the front foot and immediately went close when Anthony Gordon fired across the face of goal.
Moments later, Rogers made no mistake, converting from close range after excellent work from Marc Guehi to keep the ball in play following a corner.
It was 2-0 when Watkins was given the routine task of tapping from a yard out, with Guehi again providing the assist as he sent the ball launched by Rogers to the far post.
Saka put the game beyond doubt in style when he cut in from the right and curled a surefire finish into the top left corner.
Declan Rice leaned narrowly over the bar from a free-kick as England continued to pile on the pressure, although there were briefly worrying scenes after Watkins hit the post when he failed to divert Gordon’s low cross into the net from close range.
Wales closes, Pickford makes English history
Wales improved greatly defensively after the break and would have pulled a goal back had Jordan Pickford not pulled off a fine save to deny David Brooks.
Chances were few and far between in the second half, although Gordon fired narrowly late after a solo run.
The decline in goal action allowed Pickford to make history, becoming the first goalkeeper to keep a clean sheet in eight consecutive appearances for England.
In truth, it’s not a game that will be remembered for long, but it is a game that Rogers will never forget.
“Right at the top,” Rogers told ITV of his first England goal.
“It’s a proud moment to also do it at home in a national derby. A dream come true.”
