World Cup 2018: Marcus Rashford struggles to make his point for England on the main stage - scouting report

It's in games such as these where the youngster needs to be making a difference. That wasn't the case - something that Gareth Southgate will be all too aware of looking ahead to the last-16

After the drama of Volgograd, followed by the boyish swagger of that Panama win, tonight's encounter was meant to offer the first genuine insight into this nascent English side. That didn't happen. Gareth Southgate's eight changes made sure of that, with Belgium similarly fielding a weakened side as the two nations gently poked and probed at one another in Kaliningrad.

It was, after the rush and thrill of those opening two matches, a return to reality. Mundane at times. Overly cautious. Somewhat reserved but similarly somewhat intriguing, as Southgate's 'B' team, as it were, strived to prove their worth.

Of all tonight's understudies, it was Marcus Rashford who found himself under the greatest scrutiny. After the youngster's antics at Elland Road, where he hit home a looping 25-yard-strike, there were calls for Southgate to hand the forward a starting place at this summer's World Cup.

After the tense but well-deserved 2-1 win over Tunisia, in which Raheem Sterling failed to silence his critics, the calls persisted. But it was only once qualification to the last-16 had been secured that Southgate rolled the dice with Rashford, lining him up alongside Jamie Vardy for this evening's clash.

But with all momentum sucked from the game, it often felt that Rashford was fighting a losing battle in his bid to push for Southgate's 'A' team.

To their credit, both him and Vardy looked energised and focused against Belgium. The two had paired up for the jolly against Costa Rica and looked similarly comfortable in each other's presence tonight. On one side of the partnership there was Vardy, nipping at the Belgium defender's ankles with his terrier-like press, scrapping for the loose balls and being a general all-round nuisance.

Then there was Rashford, the graceful force in this relationship, entrusted with those idyllic-looking balls in behind and mazy zig-zag runs. Out of the pair, he came closest to finding England's breakthrough on two separate occasions - and it was Vardy who presented him with those opportunities.

Marcus Rashford with a hopeful shot on goal (Getty Images)

For the first chance, the Leicester forward picked out Rashford ahead of him in the Belgium box, having initially mopped up a loose ball in the final third. The youngster subsequently opened up his body in an attempt to curl the ball into the far-right top corner but lacked the necessary whip to take it around Thibaut Courtois.

Then, after the restart, Vardy played his teammate through on goal with a smart, dissecting ball that looked sure to end with a goal. Moving with his usual grace and purpose, Rashford tried his luck once again with a placed curling shot but simply couldn't find the target. It was England's best chance of the game and one assumes that, had been it Harry Kane, then Southgate's men would have drawn level.

But for Rashford, this, alongside a late free-kick, were the extent of his chances. In truth, he lacked the usual dynamism and sparkle that has marked his typical appearances as an England substitute. His movement was nothing out of the ordinary, his passes were clean and crisp but rarely made a difference. His link-up play was perhaps his greatest asset, regularly bringing in Vardy and others around him.

The United forward reaches to bring the ball under control (AFP/Getty Images)

But against the clinical cutting edge of Kane, Rashford failed to fill the shoes of England's captain. Of course, the circumstances surrounding today's game certainly played against the Manchester United man. But it's hard to shake the idea that Rashford, for now at least, is better suited as a substitute, as a late force to bring into the game when opponents are tired and unable to deal with his menacing speed and tricky footwork.

The debate of Rashford vs Sterling will inevitably rumble on after this evening's disappointing defeat, with the Manchester City man a perennial question mark for fans and neutrals alike. In contrast, Rashford should be a no-brainer, so goes the argument. His pace, vision and ability to make something out of nothing makes him an ideal partner to Kane, they say.

At just 20 years of age there is naturally more to come from Rashford. That much is clear. But it's in games such as these where the youngster needs to be making his point. That wasn't the case tonight - something that Southgate will be all too aware of as England now look forward to the challenge of Colombia.