England secured an emphatic 3-0 victory over Wales in a friendly at Wembley Stadium on Wednesday night, marking their eighth successive triumph over their home nations rival. The win, which was effectively sealed in a dominant first half, provides a significant lift for Thomas Tuchel’s side ahead of their final World Cup qualifier.
The Three Lions, who have faced criticism over their attacking output, flew out of the traps, scoring their opener in just the fifth minute. Marc Guehi kept a corner alive and teed up Morgan Rogers, who guided his effort into the far corner. The goal was England’s fastest at Wembley since Luke Shaw’s strike in the Euro 2020 final.
Just eight minutes later, another corner proved fatal for the Welsh defence. Rogers turned provider, guiding Declan Rice’s recycled delivery back across goal for his Aston Villa teammate, Ollie Watkins, to tap home from point-blank range for the second goal.
The scoring spree continued before the 20-minute mark when Bukayo Saka got in on the act. Cutting in from the right flank in his trademark style, Saka curled a sumptuous effort into the top corner, leaving the score 3-0. The goal was historic for the Arsenal star, making him the club’s highest-ever goalscorer for England, surpassing Cliff Bastin.
Wales struggled throughout the first half, unable to cope with England’s intensity and, crucially, their set-piece execution. Watkins nearly made it 4-0 before the break but uncharacteristically fluffed a simple tap-in opportunity.
The rhythm of the second half was disrupted by a raft of substitutions, although Wales did look more composed, forcing smart saves from Jordan Pickford.
The victory serves as ideal preparation for England’s trip to Latvia on Tuesday, where a win could potentially wrap up their World Cup qualification campaign. Wales now turn their attention to a critical fixture against Belgium on Monday in their bid to reach back-to-back World Cups. Morgan Rogers was deservedly named the Player of the Match for his goal and influential role in the first half.
