England produced an impressive performance in their final World Cup warm-up match, defeating Costa Rica 3-0 in Orlando despite a weather-related delay caused by heavy rain and lightning.
The friendly at Inter&Co Stadium was postponed by an hour after severe weather left parts of the pitch waterlogged. However, the delay had little impact on England, who controlled the match and secured a comfortable victory ahead of their World Cup opener against Croatia on June 17.
Anthony Gordon emerged as the standout performer, strengthening his case for a starting role in the tournament. The winger played a key role in England’s opening goal, beating his marker and delivering a precise cutback for Declan Rice, who finished confidently in the ninth minute.
England continued to dominate possession and create chances throughout the contest. Gordon later got on the scoresheet himself after converting a penalty awarded for a handball inside the Costa Rica penalty area. The goal marked his third for the national team and capped an influential display.
Manager Thomas Tuchel fielded a strong lineup, a move widely seen as an indication of his preferred starting eleven for the clash against Croatia. Several substitutions were made shortly after the hour mark, including the withdrawal of captain Harry Kane.
Ollie Watkins completed the scoring late in the match, reacting quickest after a save from Costa Rica’s goalkeeper pushed Morgan Rogers’ effort into his path.
Meanwhile, Portugal also ended their World Cup preparations with a victory, defeating Nigeria 2-1 in Leiria. Goals from Pedro Neto and Francisco Conceicao secured the win, while veteran forward Cristiano Ronaldo endured a frustrating evening in front of goal despite creating several opportunities.
England head into the World Cup as one of the tournament favourites despite a long wait for major international silverware. Following their opening match against Croatia, they will face Ghana and Panama in Group L as they pursue a deep run in the competition.