France 3 England 2: Three Lions outclassed by Didier Deschamp's men - who had ten men
Posted Wednesday, June 14, 2017 by Dailystar.co.uk
Harry Kane scored twice to take him to 11 goals in five games
Those prospects looked decidedly slim as the Three Lions were savaged in Paris during a defensive display to deeply trouble manager Gareth Southgate.
The way that Kane, 23, has being scoring goals of late is almost ridiculous. But the way England let them in was no laughing matter.
On Saturday new international skipper Kane bagged a last-ditch equaliser to salvage a draw in Scotland.
At the Stade De France he scored twice in a pulsating clash which defied the doubters who suggested the two teams would be running on empty.
Look at the new England skipper’s goal-scoring figures and it is a case of ‘Kane you believe it?’.
His brace, the second a penalty, took his tally in 2017 to 28 in 25 games, with 11 coming in his last five games.
But when it comes to stats there was a hugely disturbing one for Southgate.
This was the first time since November 2012 that England had conceded more than two goals in a game - with Zlatan Ibrahimovic scoring all four for Sweden in a 4-2 victory.
It could have been so much worse than just goals from Samuel Umtiti, Djibril Sidibe and Ousmane Dembele and how brilliant £100m-rated Monaco sensation Kylian Mbappe did not score is a mystery.
Raheem Sterling's backheel found Ryan Bertrand who set up Harry Kane for the opener
All this with the French having to play with ten men from the 47th minute when Real Madrid defender Raphael Verane was sent off.
England went ahead in the ninth minute with a beaut of a goal. Dele Alli found Raheem Sterling on the left and his exquisite backheel set up Ryan Bertrand perfectly to drill the ball across goal for an easy sidefoot for Kane.
The French were not daunted though and Dembele missed a sitting in the 16th minute.
Keeper Tom Heaton did well in the 23rd minute to keep out Olivier Giroud’s header, but he could only push the ball to Umtiti, who fired home.
Burnley’s Heaton was to be beaten again in the 43rd minute but once again he deserves great credit for stopping a first effort.
Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele are amongst some of the promising youngsters for France
That came from Dembele, who jinked all to easily into the box with Heaton flinging out a hand to keep out his powerful drive.
But the ball went straight to Sidibe who slammed a shot into the goal.
It was typical of England’s fragility at the back, with the three-man central defence of Phil Jones, John Stones and Gary Cahill struggling to cope with the sizzling France attack and Eric Dier and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain not providing a shield in front of them.
In the first first minute of the second half Engand were awarded a penalty when Alli was tripped by Varane as he burst through on goal.
England could not cope with France and looked woeful at the back
After a video replay - which was allowed to be used in this game - the spot-kick and red card was confirmed and Kane slotted it in, in the 48th minute.
Manificent Mbappe hit the bar in the 71st minute. But in the 78th minute he somehow found space in the box to set up Dembele as he had for that sitter.
This time the Borussia Dortmund star did not fluff his lines drilling into the far corner.
Mbappe - just 18 - was denied by Jack Butland’s legs in added-time. The keeper had blocked a shot from him prior to the third goal.
Like England, France look to have a super striker. Unlike their opponents ‘Les Bleus’ also appear to have a team worthy of playing with him.
Photos
More»
Rhian Sugden's sexiest pictures
Saturday April 20 2024
Fans love Apollonia as she poses in tiny denim shirts
Saturday April 20 2024
Eugenie Bouchard sends fans wild in barely-there bikini
Friday April 19 2024
Your Say