Declan Rice was spotted limping after being withdrawn during England's World Cup clash with Croatia, raising concerns over his fitness for the tournament.
Rice Substituted in Second Half
Rice managed 72 minutes before being taken off, along with Anthony Gordon and Noni Madueke, as Morgan Rogers, Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka came on. Jude Bellingham dropped back into central midfield alongside Elliot Anderson as Thomas Tuchel's side looked to close out the match.
England's Rollercoaster Match
England surrendered leads on two occasions against the nation that eliminated them at the World Cup semi-final stage in 2018. Harry Kane converted from the penalty spot before Petar Sucic equalised, with England's skipper restoring their advantage on the stroke of half-time before they allowed Petar Musa through to level the scores at the interval.
Bellingham and Rashford Shine
Bellingham wasted no time in firing his team back in front with a superb surge from the right flank, as England reclaimed their lead just 47 minutes in. Rashford made his mark off the bench to hand England a two-goal buffer before the evening concluded.
Tuchel's Concerns Over Rice
While Tuchel will have been encouraged to witness England's display remain at a high standard without Rice, he will be praying the 27-year-old is fit enough to play a pivotal part as England bid to claim the World Cup for the first time in 60 years.
Rice is understood to have been battling a back problem since the closing stages of Arsenal's campaign, with injections needed to control the complaint, reports the Mirror.
The Premier League champion appeared uncomfortable following the Gunners' vital victory over West Ham in May, though the concern did not affect the star's capacity to train and feature to any major extent.
Positive Outlook
Former England striker believes Tuchel can reflect on a positive evening for England, despite some shaky defending during the first half. "I think there's so many positives to come out of that performance. The goals that they scored and how they stood strong when they did come under pressure. All in all a good night for England. Lots of positives."
