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  "path": "/2026/06/11/england-vs-costa-rica-three-questions-answered-one-not-thomas-tuchel-28728538/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-06-10T23:04:47.000Z",
  "site": "https://metro.co.uk",
  "tags": [
    "Football",
    "Sport",
    "Anthony Gordon",
    "Declan Rice",
    "England men's football team",
    "Jude Bellingham",
    "Noni Madueke",
    "Thomas Tuchel",
    "World Cup",
    "Sign up here",
    "Marcus Rashford",
    "ThreeLions",
    "pic.twitter.com/3Lv46RG9Wn",
    "June 10, 2026",
    "Bukayo Saka",
    "Tuchel pointed out that this was the first time he has started Bellingham",
    "Harry Kane",
    "Arsenal",
    "weather",
    "rain",
    "Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google\nAdd as preferred source",
    "@itvfootball"
  ],
  "textContent": "Anthony Gordon put forward a good case to start next week (Picture: Getty Images)\n\nEngland enjoyed an encouraging victory ahead of their World Cup campaign as they beat Costa Rica 3-0 in Orlando on Wednesday night.\n\nThe match was delayed by an hour after a storm, but the weather was fine for the 90 minutes of the match at Inter&Co Stadium.\n\nDeclan Rice scored the opener very early in the game, with his ninth minute strike promising much for the match to come.\n\nThat deflected effort did not spark a goal-fest, but England did find the back of the net again an hour later with Anthony Gordon hammering in a penalty, then again just before the death as Ollie Watkins nodded home a rebound off the goalkeeper.\n\n##  All the World Cup action\n\nGet everything you need to know about the World Cup – England updates, the games to watch and stories you missed – in five minutes, at 1pm, every day. Sign up here.\n\nCosta Rica offered little going forward, but they did get involved physically, getting stuck into challenges a bit too enthusiastically at times as they picked up four yellow cards in a feisty friendly.\n\nEngland will certainly have felt they were in much more of a game than they did after playing New Zealand on Saturday in a tediously tepid affair.\n\nThis contest may have actually been so useful that it could have answered four of Thomas Tuchel’s selection questions.\n\n## Anthony Gordon or Marcus Rashford?\n\nAnthony Gordon had a good run out against Costa Rica (Picture: Getty Images)\n\nAnthony Gordon got the nod from the start here and took his opportunity really well in the first half. He set up Rice’s opener and had his full-back on toast on the left wing.\n\nGreat pace, good pressing and looked a threat either going down the outside or cutting in. Marcus Rashford is perhaps a more predictable threat in that position.\n\nThe new Barcelona man then absolutely walloped home a penalty in the second half.\n\nAdvantage Gordon. Although Rashford did also look lively in a late cameo.\n\n## Is Noni Madueke good enough to start?\n\n> A HUGE opportunity for 2-0! 😱\n>\n> Madueke misses with the goal at his mercy 🫣#ThreeLions pic.twitter.com/3Lv46RG9Wn\n>\n> — ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 10, 2026\n\nLittle summed up Noni Madueke like the incredible miss he produced in the first half. Great run in behind the defence, nicely taken round the goalkeeper, somehow hit the post rather than find the open net.\n\nThe Arsenal winger often looks very dangerous, but so rarely produces the end product to match his simmering threat. He looked bright again in the second half, but nothing ever came of it.\n\nCan Tuchel get away with playing him and easing Bukayo Saka back from his Achilles problem? Not really. He desperately needs Saka there when it really counts.\n\n## Jude Bellingham or Morgan Rogers\n\nJude Bellingham took the captain’s armband after Kane and Rice went off (Picture: Getty Images)\n\nTuchel pointed out that this was the first time he has started Bellingham with Harry Kane, Rice and Elliot Anderson, which is a little surprising as many would say those four should be in England’s first choice starting XI.\n\nBellingham looked good, trying to unlock doors and he did just that with a great through ball before Madueke failed to walk through the door he had unlocked for him.\n\nHe did so again in beautiful fashion as he skipped past challenges to set up a shot for Eberechi Eze, which led to the penalty Gordon scored.\n\nMorgan Rogers has been a favourite of Tuchel but he came on and missed a straightforward chance to score after Bellingham had looked strong. If the manager was putting much importance on this game then it feels like advantage for the Real Madrid man.\n\n## Who will be Marc Guehi’s partner?\n\nWe are expecting Marc Guehi to be starting at the back for England in the competitive games, but will it be Ezri Konsa or John Stones alongside him, as both started on Wednesday?\n\nStones looks fit and ready, but he was deployed at left centre-back, where Guehi will likely play. Does that mean anything?\n\nNeither centre-back was troubled by anything from Costa Rica, so we will have to wait and see what Tuchel does against Croatia.\n\n## What we already knew…\n\nDeclan Rice is essential to England’s hopes this summer (Picture: Getty Images)\n\n### Declan Rice is going to be key\n\nYes the Arsenal star opened the scoring, but his set-pieces were probably more a sign of things to come.\n\nIf England can get it right then his delivery should be a serious weapon during this tournament. He actually fluffed his lines a few times with them here, but the ones on the money were very dangerous.\n\nAny more goals will be a welcome bonus as well.\n\n### Harry Kane’s quarterback quality is a plus not a negative\n\nEvery tournament some England fans will moan about Harry Kane dropping deep. His passing from midfield is incredible, as he showed again here, playing in Gordon and drilling one to Madueke on the flank.\n\nHe’ll score goals. Don’t worry about that. He’ll create a few as well.\n\n### The weather could be a pain\n\nThe weather lurches between extremes in Florida (Picture: Getty Images)\n\nThe hour’s delay to this match could well be repeated when the World Cup gets underway, with torrential rain and lightning getting in the way of the scheduled kick-off time.\n\nIt’s annoying for everyone involved, not least for fans back in England already staying up late for these games.\n\nIn fairness to the ground staff, though, they sorted the pitch out impressively and quickly after a huge amount of rain.\n\nComment now Comments \nAdd Metro as a Preferred Source on Google\nAdd as preferred source\n",
  "title": "England 3-0 Costa Rica: Three questions answered and one not for Thomas Tuchel"
}