England won their first fixture at the Euros for the first time thanks to Raheem Sterling’s second-half goal against Croatia at Wembley.
England have started in a good positive manner
Wayne Rooney has praised England for their winning start at the European Championship in a “professional” manner. England won their first fixture at the Euros for the first time thanks to Raheem Sterling’s second-half goal against Croatia at Wembley. Gareth Southgate’s men are now in a strong position ahead of games against Scotland and the Czech Republic. The former England international believes the team will be in high spirits after overcoming the squad that knocked them out of the 2018 FIFA World Cup semi-final stage. The all-time England top scorer told reporters: “It was a good positive start, a solid professional performance. With the heat, it was never an end-to-end game, and it will always be a game of moments.”
Scotland will be tough
“To win that was massive, Croatia have an outstanding team, and it will give the players the relief that they feel comfortable in the group right now. They will be a little more relaxed playing against Scotland, and if they didn’t win, they could have been a little worried.” Expressed on England’s chances of winning the competition, he added: “Scotland will be tough, but after winning the match against Croatia, I think England will comfortably go through to the next round. That is when I think it could get difficult for England – when you play against France, Portugal or Belgium – one of those top squads.”
“There is a lot of quality in the lineup; my only concern is a lack of experience – Harry Maguire and Jordan Henderson must fit because they will be vital moving forward. The quality they have as much as anyone in the competition, and they have a great chance.” A few eyebrows were raised when Gareth Southgate named his starting XI for the match with Croatia, as he decided to start Kieran Trippier at the left-back ahead of Luke Shaw, leaving Ben Chilwell out of the squad entirely. Jadon Sancho was also an unexpected omission, while Sterling was tasked with occupying one of the roles ahead of Jack Grealish, despite his struggles for form at Manchester City last campaign. Southgate was ultimately vindicated, watching his side produce a disciplined, controlled performance that limited Croatia’s attacking threat.