World Cup Watching Notes • Night 2
England 6-2 Iran
18 times the difference in worth, 4 goals in the score! On the evening of November 21, Beijing time, England, with a starting lineup worth 634 million euros, defeated Iran, who started with 35.1 million euros, 6-2. The gap between Asian football and Europe and the United States is so large.
After the results of the draw came out, the England team was generally considered to have drawn the "upper lot". But after Southgate announced the squad, the soul torture from Fleet Street was "can the group qualify with this lineup". Prior to this game, Southgate's side had not tasted a win in eight months.
Iranian goalkeeper Beranvande was carried off the pitch after an injury. Xinhua News Agency
There was an accident at the start of the game, and in the 9th minute of the first half, Iran goalkeeper Beranwande collided head-to-head with his teammates, and the game was suspended for six minutes. Belanvande was unable to hold out and was eventually carried off the field on a stretcher. With nine appearances and six clean sheets in the Asian round of 12 of 10 World Qualifiers, Beranvande is the absolute workhorse of the team. His accidental injury left Iranian coach Queiroz looking pained. Because of the delay in Berranvande's treatment, he ended up with 14 minutes of stoppage time in the first half.
This accident also caused the Iranian team to be beaten in the first half. The opening record for England was Bellingham, who was not yet 20 years old. In the 35th minute of the first half, Luke Shaw crossed and Bellingham scored his first England senior goal with a header. He also became the first World Cup goalkeeper born this century.
England's Bellingham (left) celebrates with teammate Mason Mount after a goal. Xinhua News Agency
At 19 years and 145 days, Bellingham is England's third-youngest player to start at the World Cup, behind Owen in 1998 and Luke Shaw in 2014. On the German transfer market network, Bellingham is the second most expensive player in the English 26ers, behind Foden, who is worth 110 million euros.
England's youth storm is not over. In the 43rd minute, the 21-year-old Saka extended the score for England. In the 45th minute, Iran made a mistake in midfield and Kane crossed to Raheem Sterling near the penalty area line on the right flank, and "Happy Boys" changed the score to 3-0.
England's Saka (second from right) celebrates his second goal. Xinhua News Agency
Shortly after the start of the second half, Saka completed a double to become the first post-00 to score twice at the World Cup. At 21 years and 77 days, Saka is also the second-youngest player to stage a double in his World Cup debut, the youngest being Beckenbauer (20 years, 304 days) at the 1966 World Cup.
But three minutes after Saka scored, central defender Maguire, who was extremely mocked by the outside world but regarded as a jewel by Southgate, made a mistake, and Taremi, who was in excellent form this season, scored to pull a goal back for Iran. Maguire was then replaced by Dale on suspicion of injury, and Maguire walked straight back to the locker room after leaving the court.
England player Harry Maguire (bottom) signals to the referee that the opponent has committed a foul. Xinhua News Agency
After that, England almost changed a number of wingmen around Kane. In the 72nd minute, Marcus Rashford, who had just come off the bench, scored on his first touch, giving England a 5-1 lead over Iran. In the 89th minute, Wilson faced a one-handed selfless feed and substitute Grealish scored to make it 6-1 for England. Four years ago, England beat Panama 6-1 in the group stage.
England's Marcus Rashford (third from left) celebrates with his teammates after a goal. Xinhua News Agency
Substitute "Iranian Messi" Azmoun hit the crossbar with a shot in second-half stoppage time. Iran scored a penalty late in second-half stoppage time, and Taremi scored twice to make it 2-6.
With Iran looking slightly better than other Asian teams in the group, and the travel distance from home to the host country may be the shortest of the 32 teams, almost equivalent to playing at home, it can be said that Iran, which has Asia's strongest striker team, shoulders the hope of breaking through the all-Asian group this time.
In the opening match of this World Cup, Asian champion Qatar was completely suppressed by Ecuador, the weakest opponent in the group, and 0 shots were on target in the whole game, becoming the first World Cup "black opener" host. This match comprehensively measures the gap between Asian football and the higher level of world football. In the second game, the "first in Asia" Iranian team played the biggest defeat in the history of the World Cup and became the "tragic team". The World Cup came to Asia for the second time, but Asian football encountered "world sorrow" after the opening.
Nandu reporter Tao Xinlei