Match ends, England 4, Andorra 0.
England secured a predictably comfortable win over Andorra at Wembley as the smooth path to next year's World Cup in Qatar continued with a fifth successive victory in their qualifying group.
Manager Gareth Southgate made 11 changes from the side that won 4-0 in Hungary in readiness for arguably the toughest test in European Group I, in Poland on Wednesday.
Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford was given a debut but was unable to find the net in the usual one-sided contest against Andorra, although their damage limitation exercise was relatively successful until the last 20 minutes.
Jesse Lingard gave England the lead with a left-foot finish after 18 minutes but it then took then until the 72nd minute to double their advantage when Harry Kane, on as substitute for Bamford, scored his 40th goal for his country from the penalty spot after Christian Garcia fouled Mason Mount.
Andorra, inevitably, tired and Lingard got his second and England's third with a low shot that the evaded the grasp of Andorra keeper Josep Gomes.
And in a moment greeted with real joy around Wembley, Arsenal's Bukayo Saka, whose last Wembley experience was missing the decisive penalty in England's Euro 2020 Final loss to Italy, celebrated his 20th birthday by scoring with a neat header five minutes from time.
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Bellingham a class act
England's performances, both individual and as a team, must all be shaped by the context of an Andorran opposition that currently nestles neatly between New Caledonia and the Dominican Republic in 156th place in the current Fifa rankings.
What is surely beyond dispute, however, is that England have a genuine rising star in their ranks in Borussia Dortmund's 18-year-old Jude Bellingham.
The youngster who emerged at Birmingham City before following England team-mate and new Manchester United signing Jadon Sancho to Dortmund carries the hallmark of quality in everything he does.
And while this opposition may be low in the rankings, it should also be noted that Bellingham has also looked as extraordinarily composed and at home in an England shirt in pretty much every international he has played.
One early moment of sleight of foot had the Wembley crowd on their feet in appreciation and he subsequently cruised around looking unflustered and a cut above everyone else on the pitch until he was removed from the action by Southgate.
Bellingham has been earmarked as a youngster destined for an outstanding career as soon as he came to prominence at Birmingham and he has done nothing since to change the widely-held view that England have a performer of the very highest stature on their hands.
Joy for Lingard and Saka
Lingard's chances may be limited at Manchester United this season but his bright and breezy presence, along with two goals, repaid manager Southgate's faith that he can make an important contribution to England's World Cup qualifying campaign.
And there was a moment of real elation late on when Saka headed home to make England's victory even more convincing.
Saka was devastated when he missed the final penalty in the shootout as England lost the Euro 2020 final at Wembley in July, and was subjected to disgraceful racist abuse in the immediate aftermath.
The Arsenal youngster has been welcomed with genuine warmth even on opposition grounds since and his name was greeted with huge cheers every time it was announced at Wembley.
It was the perfect finale for Saka and England when he scored the fourth goal.
His joy was reflected in the reaction of his team-mates, who rushed to celebrate with him in a show of real delight for their young team-mate.
Player of the match
LingardJesse Lingard
England
Avg
- Squad number10Player nameLingardAverage rating
7.32
- Squad number11Player nameSakaAverage rating
6.77
- Squad number7Player nameBellinghamAverage rating
6.68
- Squad number9Player nameBamfordAverage rating
6.33
- Squad number23Player nameGrealishAverage rating
6.28
- Squad number19Player nameMountAverage rating
6.02
- Squad number20Player nameKaneAverage rating
5.86
- Squad number1Player nameJohnstoneAverage rating
5.74
- Squad number5Player nameCoadyAverage rating
5.70
- Squad number6Player nameMingsAverage rating
5.65
- Squad number4Player nameAlexander-ArnoldAverage rating
5.57
- Squad number8Player nameHendersonAverage rating
5.51
- Squad number2Player nameJamesAverage rating
5.49
- Squad number3Player nameTrippierAverage rating
5.15
Andorra
Avg
- Squad number10Player nameLudovic ClementeAverage rating
5.31
- Squad number21Player nameMarc GarcíaAverage rating
5.29
- Squad number8Player nameMarcio VieiraAverage rating
5.28
- Squad number20Player nameMax LloveraAverage rating
5.26
- Squad number1Player nameJosep GomesAverage rating
5.26
- Squad number3Player nameMarc ValesAverage rating
5.26
- Squad number16Player nameÁlex MartínezAverage rating
5.24
- Squad number14Player nameChristian GarciaAverage rating
5.23
- Squad number15Player nameMoi San NicolásAverage rating
5.23
- Squad number4Player nameMarc RebésAverage rating
5.21
- Squad number19Player nameCucuAverage rating
5.20
- Squad number9Player nameAarón SánchezAverage rating
5.19
- Squad number18Player nameChus RubioAverage rating
5.19
- Squad number23Player nameJordi RubioAverage rating
5.17
- Squad number6Player nameIldefons LimaAverage rating
5.16
- Squad number17Player nameJoan CervósAverage rating
4.88
Line-ups
England
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Johnstone
- 2JamesSubstituted forGrealishat 62'minutes
- 5Coady
- 6MingsBooked at 82mins
- 3Trippier
- 4Alexander-Arnold
- 8Henderson
- 7BellinghamSubstituted forMountat 62'minutes
- 10Lingard
- 9BamfordSubstituted forKaneat 62'minutes
- 11Saka
Substitutes
- 12Walker
- 13Pope
- 14Shaw
- 15Stones
- 16Maguire
- 17Rice
- 18Phillips
- 19Mount
- 20Kane
- 21Sterling
- 22Pickford
- 23Grealish
Andorra
Formation 5-4-1
- 1Gomes Moreira
- 18Rubio GómezBooked at 90mins
- 14Garcia GonzalezBooked at 71mins
- 3Vales CarusBooked at 38mins
- 20Llovera González–Adrio
- 15San Nicolás SchellensSubstituted forCervós Moroat 86'minutes
- 10Clemente GarcésSubstituted forMartínez Palauat 74'minutes
- 4Rebés RuizBooked at 45mins
- 8Vieira de VasconcelosSubstituted forLima Solàat 86'minutes
- 23Rubio GómezBooked at 64minsSubstituted forGarcía Renomat 74'minutes
- 9Sánchez AlburquerqueSubstituted forFernández Betriuat 66'minutesBooked at 88mins
Substitutes
- 2Martínez Alejo
- 5García Miramontes
- 6Lima Solà
- 7Vieira de Vasconcelos
- 11Moreno Marín
- 12Álvarez de Eulate Molne
- 13Pires Costa
- 16Martínez Palau
- 17Cervós Moro
- 19Fernández Betriu
- 21García Renom
- 22Bernat Cuadros
- Referee:
- Anastasios Papapetrou
- Attendance:
- 67,171
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home88%
- Away12%
- Shots
- Home20
- Away1
- Shots on Target
- Home6
- Away1
- Corners
- Home5
- Away0
- Fouls
- Home13
- Away16
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, England 4, Andorra 0.
Booking
Chus Rubio (Andorra) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Jesse Lingard (England) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Foul by Chus Rubio (Andorra).
Post update
Attempt missed. Tyrone Mings (England) header from the centre of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Trent Alexander-Arnold with a cross following a corner.
Post update
Corner, England. Conceded by Josep Gomes.
Post update
Attempt saved. Harry Kane (England) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Kieran Trippier.
Post update
Corner, England. Conceded by Christian Garcia.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Jesse Lingard (England) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Booking
Cucu (Andorra) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Jordan Henderson (England) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Cucu (Andorra).
Substitution
Substitution, Andorra. Joan Cervós replaces Moi San Nicolás.
Substitution
Substitution, Andorra. Ildefons Lima replaces Marcio Vieira.
Goal!
Goal! England 4, Andorra 0. Bukayo Saka (England) header from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Jesse Lingard with a cross following a corner.
Post update
Corner, England. Conceded by Marc Vales.
Post update
Corner, England. Conceded by Marc Vales.
Booking
Tyrone Mings (England) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Foul by Tyrone Mings (England).
Comments
Join the conversation
Bielsa would never let the ball go back so many times.
after 70mins it was only 1-0
It’s Andorra!!
Just pathetic
Glad you brought on some big guns for the fans there. Entertained in the end 😊
Receive the ball from Mings.
Control the ball with right foot
Turn pass it back to Mings with right foot.
Repeat