International friendly: Scotland 1 (Maguire 67 og) England 3 (Foden 32, Bellingham 35, Kane 81)
Real Madrid have discovered that it is a pretty good idea to have him in an advanced midfield position, their new darling slicing through La Liga defences since his big-money transfer from Borussia Dortmund, scoring in every game. Here, it was Scotland’s turn to suffer.
England were excellent in the first half, Bellingham involved in Phil Foden’s deft opener and scoring the second himself. There is something irresistible about his fusion of twinkle-toed skill and driving power; his desire to be direct and hurt opponents.
Weirdly, and worryingly, Southgate’s team flirted with disaster. On as a half-time substitute, Harry Maguire suffered at the hands of the Scotland support and he burned with indignation when he stuck out an ill-advised leg to divert Andy Robertson’s cross into his own goal.
It felt inconceivable that England would mess this up. They were superior in practically every department, Scotland’s excellent form – five wins out of five in Euro 2024 qualification – not translating to this showpiece to mark the 150th anniversary of international football’s oldest fixture.
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Bellingham ensured that they did not. With 82 minutes on the clock, he spun in a tight circle to lose one blue shirt before surging away from another and slipping the perfect pass to Harry Kane. It was one touch and finish from the captain. Game over.
Southgate had described the atmosphere against Ukraine as “incredible … unique, really, in my years in the game.” It was loud and exuberant, extremely passionate, and yet it did not feel hostile. There was no anger directed at England. This was always going to be different.
It was about playing the occasion, as well as the game. Both anthems were booed, one more lustily than the other, which was entirely in keeping with things. It also felt like a bad idea to attempt a moment of silence for the late Scotland manager, Craig Brown, and the victims of the natural disasters in Morocco and Libya. Was it respected? No.
Southgate’s tactical tweak was to 4-2-3-1, Bellingham as the No 10, Kalvin Phillips coming in for much needed minutes alongside Declan Rice in front of the defence; Phillips only had six for the season prior to this. England hogged possession from the first whistle, as they tend to do these days, and it was what they did with it, as they took a grip on the game, that delighted Southgate.
The breakthrough goal had been advertised. England were polished in possession, some of their one-touch stuff extremely easy on the eye. They were quicker and slicker than their opponents – Scotland laboured to put pressure on the ball – and, with Steve Clarke wanting his backline to squeeze high, England could see big spaces into which to play their runners, especially Marcus Rashford.
Bellingham enjoyed himself, even if he picked up a silly yellow card for a shoving match with Jack Hendry, who was also booked, moments after Phillips had cut through Che Adams. He got a yellow, as well.
Bellingham was central to the opening goal, his touch and awareness pronounced in a tight space on the edge of the area, his pass nicely weighted for Rashford a little further forward. He went right to Kyle Walker and, when the full-back drilled low across goal, Foden’s reactions were quick, the cushioned diversion past Angus Gunn very nice.
Southgate had started Foden on the right wing with the licence to drift. The Manchester City player had lifted wastefully high on 19 minutes – was Rashford offside in the build-up? – but he grew into the game, all swerves and instant control.
Scotland were rocking and England completed the one-two punch after a dreadful error from the home captain, Robertson. It was Bellingham with a back-heel to Foden on the left and then a whipped cross from the latter, which hit Kane and broke for Robertson.
He had to clear but he hesitated as his brain told him to do so, his feet leaden and prodding straight to Bellingham, who could not believe his luck. Walker had lashed wide in the 25th minute and Scotland were grateful to get to half-time at 2-0.
Southgate had said that too much experimentation with the line-up would have been “ridiculous”. He still brought in Lewis Dunk to play alongside Marc Guéhi in central defence and there was a recall for Aaron Ramsdale in goal. The trio have 12 caps between them. Harry Maguire replaced Guéhi at half-time; Scotland did not threaten the England defence at all in the first 45 minutes.
Maguire was ridiculed by the home crowd and it did not seem to affect him, at first, as he and England played out with comfort from the back, Phillips linking the play. And yet Southgate’s team came to lack the intensity of the first half. Perhaps there was a degree of complacency?
Clarke made tweaks with his substitutions and slowly, Scotland kicked out a foothold. Aaron Hickey surged into the area and saw a shot blocked by Dunk. And then the stadium truly came alive when Maguire endured his horror moment.
Poor Maguire. If the jeers were bad before the own goal, they were worse thereafter, and Scotland scented more than the humbling of one Englishman. Could they summon an equaliser that had felt like a pipedream at the interval? Bellingham’s answer was emphatic.
SCOTLAND: Gunn, Hendry, Hickey (Patterson 89), Porteous, Robertson, Tierney (Armstrong 82), Gilmour (Dykes 60), McGinn (Ferguson 82), McGregor (Jack 89), McTominay, Adams (Christie 59). Subs Not Used: McCrorie, Souttar, McKenna, Nisbet, McLean, Shankland, Clark. Booked: Hendry, Tierney.
ENGLAND: Ramsdale, Dunk, Guehi (Maguire 46), Trippier, Walker, Bellingham (Gallagher 84), Foden (Saka 71), Phillips, Rice, Kane (Wilson 84), Rashford (Eze 71). Subs Not Used: Johnstone, Chilwell, Henderson, Tomori, Colwill, Maddison, Nketiah, Pickford. Booked: Bellingham, Phillips.
Referee: Davide Massa (Italy).
