Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford scored twice while Man City’s Phil Foden got the other, as England on Tuesday evening thrashed Wales 3-0 in their last Group B game to qualify for the round of 16 stages of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™.
England coach Gareth Southgate elected to add both players in the starting lineup for the team’s final Group B match and they responded with all three goals with Foden getting the approval of several pundits and fans alike to get a place on the starting lineup on Tuesday.
England will next face Senegal in the round of 16. Wales finished in last place with just one point in the group and has been eliminated.
Southgate had faced calls to freshen up his team after the 0-0 draw with the United States. He brought in Rashford and Foden into a new look attack and it worked.
England had the game practically concluded just after halftime with Rashford scoring from a free kick in the 50th and Foden adding another in the 51st. Rashford got his second after a weaving run in the box in the 68th.
Rashford’s goal was the 100th for England in the history of the FIFA World Cup.
Wales captain Gareth Bale was forced off at halftime with an injury and the World Cup may be his last international tournament for the Welsh national team.
The European side will be looking forward to the start of the Euro 2024 qualifiers in March 2023 albeit it is unknown if the majority of the current players in the squad will be around for the qualifiers.
Wales last appeared at the FIFA World Cup in 1958 and were looking forward to at least reaching the round of 16 stages of the tournament in Qatar.
England left back Luke Shaw revealed after the game that England were doubled charged to defeat Wales after the wide celebration of the Welsh side towards the elimination of England during the 2016 Euro tournament.
