England 3-0 USA, Rooney bows out with comfortable win

England 3-0 USA

England welcomed the USA to Wembley in a match partly to honour to Wayne Rooney, England’s top goalscorer of all time.

This fixture had been in the diary for 18 months and only recently was it dedicated to the former Manchester United striker, who now plies his trade in America with MLS side DC United, in an attempt to publicise and raise money for the Wayne Rooney foundation.

Notable inclusions in this side, captained by Rooney himself, was a first start for Bundesliga starlet Jadon Sancho and Bournemouth striker Callum Wilson, both rewarded for fine form over the last month. The USA started a youthful side, an average age  of under 24, including well known names such as Julian Green, Christian Pulisic and Timothy Weah.

England started the game on top, forcing the USA into their own half, putting pressure on with several corners, from one of which Dele Alli forced a fine save from Brad Guzan before the linesman flagged for offside. Callum Wilson later had a chance to break the deadlock but nerves got the better of him as he failed to connect with an Alli cross.

England then claimed for a penalty in the 10th minute when Wilson went down under pressure from Guzan, contact was minimal and the referee waved play on. England continued to control the game throughout the half, with Jadon Sancho a huge positive influence on the game.

Pulisic was presented with a glorious opportunity to score, but fluffed his lines after weaving into the box.

The home side finally broke the deadlock in the 25th minute via a Jesse Lingard strike. The Manchester United midfielder curled a delightful shot from the left hand corner of the box, giving the USA goalkeeper no chance. That lead was soon doubled when 104 seconds later Trent Alexander-Arnold struck a shot low into the corner from an angle, his first goal in international football.

The USA grew into the game as half time approached testing Jordan Pickford on occasion. He struggled with a venomous strike from Green after a fantastic challenge on Delph by Wil Trapp in the centre of the park. However the USA failed to breakthrough in the first half as England went into half time comfortably in control of a game that felt more competitive than a friendly.

The second half started in the same manner the first did, England asserting their dominance on the ball. The only half time change was in goal where Alex McCarthy replacing Jordan Pickford for his first England cap.

Jesse Lingard had a chance blocked after some great work by Harry Winks, driving forward with the ball before some intricate play in the box led to a corner from which Alexander-Arnold wastes the ball.

Southgate then rung the changes just before the hour mark, with Dele Alli, Lingard and Chilwell leaving the field to be replaced by Jordan Henderson, Eric Dier and the man of the hour, Wayne Rooney.

Ten minutes passed with little event as the half was disturbed by yet more changes from both sides. Callum Wilson then spurned a further opportnity after a teasing cross from Alexander-Arnold down the right hand side. The Bournemouth striker finally got his goal 77 minutes into the game, guiding in a Fabian Delph cross at the front post to open his England account on his full debut, at Wembley stadium.

The USA side struggled to get any foothold in the game, conceding possession to England for prolonged periods of time as the game drew to a close. Feeble appeals for a penalty after Pulisic ran into traffic were nonchalantly waves away by the referee as the pace of the game slowed in the final minutes.

Bobby Wood found himself in a great position with options on both sides but instead opted to blaze over the bar, as tired bodies and tired minds began to take over.

Three minutes of injury time were added as the crowd that gathered in London tonight had their opportunity to watch the final minutes of the long, prolific career of Wayne Rooney. His wish of a farewell goal ever so close, but for a smart stop by Brad Guzan in stoppage time whilst he came a whisker away from getting his toe on a cross with seconds to spare.

But it wasn’t to be, as the final whistle blew and the crowd stood for a standing ovation to one of the most talented players in a generation. Whilst Rooney bowed out, the likes of Alexander-Arnold, Winks and Sancho impressed to show Southgate that he has talent emerging capable of replacing that of Rooney.

England ran out comfortable winners, the USA have a lot of room for improvement and a young squad which will learn from this occasion. But the night belonged to Wayne Rooney, who finishes his England career tonight, with 53 England goals, and 120 caps to his name.