England vs Ivory Coast LIVE: Result, final score and reaction from international fixture
Relive all the action from Wembley as the Three Lions continued their World Cup preparations
Stand-in skipper Raheem Sterling set up one and scored another as England cruised to victory in a friendly against Ivory Coast that felt more like a training match after Serge Aurier’s sending off.
Gareth Southgate made 10 changes from Saturday’s comeback win against well-drilled Switzerland as World Cup preparations continued with a first-ever senior international meeting of these nations.
Sterling crossed for Ollie Watkins’ opener and added a second shortly after Aurier’s first-half sending off, with many having left Wembley by the time Tyrone Mings headed home to make it 3-0 at the death. Relive all the action below:
England 1 - 0 Ivory Coast
36 mins: Watkins sends the ball over to Grealish as England look to break on a counter-attack. He brings it down the wing and slots a hopeful ball into the box for Bellingham to chase down. The teenager chases after it but Serge Aurier gets in front of him and guides the ball out of play.
England 1 - 0 Ivory Coast
33 mins: Jean Michael Seri and Serge Aurier have both been booked for Ivory Coast in the game’s only yellow cards. The most recent offence sees James Ward-Prowse float the free kick into the box and find the head of Declan Rice. He’s wide open but can only send his headed effort into the arms of Ali Sangare.
GOAL! England 1 - 0 Ivory Coast (Watkins, 30’)⚽️
30 mins: Top work from Raheem Sterling gives Ollie Watkins a goal on his first England start! Jack Grealish brings the ball up the inside left channel and passes it into the box for Sterling who’s moved into a more central position. Eric Bailly knocks the ball back out of the box but Sterling is quick to recover it. He shimmies away from a tackle and brings it back into the box before slotting a perfect pass across the six-yard area to pick out Watkins who taps it home. Well deserved goal for England.
England 0 - 0 Ivory Coast
27 mins: Chance! Simon Deli’s having a fine game for the visitors. They defend the corner but England keep the attack going. The ball comes out to Declan Rice on the edge of the box and he flicks it over to Raheem Sterling. Sterling brings the ball under control, shifts to his left and blasts one at goal only for Deli to block it with his body.
England 0 - 0 Ivory Coast
24 mins: Nick Pope’s had a quiet start to the game as the Ivory Coast are struggling to get the ball into England’s final third. Great pressing from Declan Rice sees the midfielder win the ball high up the pitch and feed it up to Ollie Watkins. He passes it over to Raheem Sterling on the right side and Sterling’s cross it blocked behind for a corner by Simon Deli.
England 0 - 0 Ivory Coast
21 mins: Chance! Quick play from England sees them work the ball up the pitch with sharp, short passes forcing the Ivory Coast defenders to drop back. Bellingham gives it to Ward-Prowse who switches the ball over to Grealish on the left wing. He carries it into the penalty area, cuts inside onto his right foot then drills a low shot at goal but can’t beat Sangare.
England 0 - 0 Ivory Coast
18 mins: Hassane Kamara slides a pass down the wing as Maxwel Cornet gets in behind Ben White. Cornet collects the ball and drives to the left side of the box where his cross is blocked behind by Harry Maguire.
Ivory Coast play the corner short but the offside flag is raised as it comes back to Cornet. A waste from the visitors.
England 0 - 0 Ivory Coast
15 mins: It’s Simon Deli this time who fouls Raheem Sterling as the England captain receives the ball in midfield. Ivory Coast aren’t seeing that much of the ball but are fully committing themselves to their tackles.
Off the woodwork! Jack Grealish brings the ball down the left wing and cuts a pass into the box. Jude Bellingham then flicks it on to Sterling who returns the ball as Bellingham weaves into space. He shoots but Ali Sangare gets a touch to it and pushes the ball onto the near post!
England 0 - 0 Ivory Coast
12 mins: Hassane Kamara bundles Raheem Sterling over on the right wing and gives England a free kick. James Ward-Prowse swings the set piece into the box looking for either Harry Maguire or Tyrone Mings. It’s closer to Mings but his marker gets a glancing touch to the ball first and sends it behind for a corner.
England 0 - 0 Ivory Coast
9 mins: There’s nothing seriously wrong with Sterling and he jogs back onto the pitch. Harry Maguire flicks the ball down the right side and tries to get it to Ollie Watkins. Simon Deli is quickly across the pitch and beats the striker to the ball before booting it clear for Ivory Coast.
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