England striker Harry Kane celebrates his group’s 6-2 victory over Iran within the 2022 FIFA World Cup. AP
Doha: Jordan Pickford revealed on Wednesday that Harry Kane is “high quality”, easing fears the England captain may miss Friday’s World Cup conflict with the USA with an ankle damage.
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Kane went for a scan on Wednesday after he harm his proper ankle early within the second half of England’s 6-2 win over Iran of their Group B opener on Monday.
The 29-year-old performed on till the seventy fifth minute however left the Khalifa Worldwide Stadium with a strapping on his ankle, main England to ship him for the scan to verify that he had not suffered any important injury.
Tottenham striker Kane has been plagued with ankle issues all through his profession and his newest challenge had sparked concern he might be set for one more spell on the sidelines.
Whereas England didn’t give an official health replace following Kane’s medical verify, goalkeeper Pickford supplied some perception into his team-mate’s standing when he mentioned he featured in coaching on Wednesday.
“I believe he’s good, most likely a bit sore however he’s high quality. He’s out on the grass right now,” Pickford advised reporters at England’s coaching base in Doha.
“Clearly Harry is an unbelievable participant. He units the instance within the squad, he’s chief, the captain. He’s very unselfish and all of us look as much as him.
“Everybody’s coaching effectively and dealing onerous. When Harry got here off in opposition to Iran, Callum (Wilson) got here on and received the help.”
Kane, who received the Golden Boot on the 2018 World Cup, is important to England’s hopes of lifting their first main title because the 1966 World Cup.
Though Kane didn’t rating within the rout of Iran, he supplied assists for Raheem Sterling and Bukayo Saka.
Kane has labored with a personal physiotherapist in latest months to make his physique extra resilient to the ankle issues which have left him out of motion 5 instances with ligament injury in his profession.
‘Taken out of our palms’
Kane was additionally the centre of consideration earlier than the Iran recreation after the Soccer Affiliation have been pressured to inform the skipper to not put on a ‘OneLove’ rainbow armband to assist equality.
FIFA reportedly mentioned gamers who wore the armband would face being booked and, with the row additionally involving a number of different European groups nonetheless rumbling on, Pickford mentioned the England squad had wished Kane to put on it earlier than the choice was taken out of their palms.
“As a squad all of us had conversations, all of us wished Harry to put on it, however the choice received taken out of our palms. It went larger up than that,” Pickford mentioned.
“If Harry received a yellow card and missed the subsequent recreation it wouldn’t be ideally suited for us.”
England boss Gareth Southgate mentioned after the Iran recreation that he was involved his group have been used for example of shirt-pulling offences in an educational video for referees earlier than the match.
England conceded a penalty in opposition to Iran after a tug from John Stones, whereas Harry Maguire was denied a spot-kick regardless of being rugby tackled to the turf.
Pickford backed Southgate’s name for consistency, saying: “Hopefully we get the honest facet of it. It’s by no means going to be excellent.
“We’re by no means going to be pleased with VAR on a regular basis. Hopefully we get the choices after we want them.”
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