Sports Mole previews Friday’s World Cup clash between England and USA, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Off the back of an emphatic victory in their opening 2022 World Cup fixture, England will endeavour to boost their hopes of securing top spot in Group B when they lock horns with USA at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor on Friday evening.
The Three Lions began their campaign by hitting Iran for six on Monday, while the Stars and Stripes were forced to share the spoils with Wales in their opening clash.
Match preview
© Reuters
Following memorable highs of reaching the World Cup semi-finals four years ago and then the final of Euro 2020, optimism surrounding Gareth Southgate‘s squad had dipped heading to Qatar after a disappointing winless UEFA Nations League campaign.
However, the nation’s hopes were boosted in emphatic style as the Three Lions roared to a 6-2 victory in their opening group game against Iran, their biggest-ever win in the first match of a major tournament.
Bukayo Saka scored either side of strikes from Jude Bellingham and Raheem Sterling in a dominant first-half showing, before substitutes Marcus Rashford and Jack Grealish got their names on the scoresheet after the break.
Southgate took plenty of positives from his side’s performance in a contest which saw nearly half an hour of stoppage time across the two halves, but he was left “fed up” after Porto’s Mehdi Taremi netted two consolation goals for Iran. Indeed, the England boss…
