England's final pre-World Cup warm-up friendly against Costa Rica went ahead after thunderstorms in Orlando caused a one-hour delay. A revised kick-off time of 10pm BST (5pm ET) was confirmed as the weather cleared and the pitch dried quickly at Inter&Co Stadium.
Match Updates
Goal! England 1-0 Costa Rica (Rice, 9 mins)
A brilliant run from Anthony Gordon down the left set up Declan Rice, whose low strike deflected past goalkeeper Sequeira to give England an early lead.
England dominated the opening stages, with Jude Bellingham starting at No10 ahead of Morgan Rogers. Arsenal duo Rice and Noni Madueke started after joining late from the Champions League final, while Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze were on the bench due to Saka's Achilles concern.
Key Moments
- 12 mins: Gordon continues to terrorize Costa Rica's defense, earning a booking for right-back Johnson.
- 16 mins: Rice's free-kick delivery is gathered by Sequeira.
- 22 mins: Harry Kane's flicked header from a Rice free-kick is saved by Sequeira.
- 24 mins: Anderson's cross causes chaos, but Madueke's follow-up is cleared.
England's intensity and decisiveness impressed, with Tuchel pleased by Madueke's direct approach. The Three Lions looked to build on their 1-0 win over New Zealand and send a message to World Cup rivals.
