England made a scintillating begin to their World Cup marketing campaign as Bukayo Saka and Jude Bellingham impressed a 6-2 rout of outclassed Iran in Monday’s Group B opener in Doha.
Saka and Bellingham have been England’s driving forces with dynamic shows that underlined their emergence as two of the sport’s brightest younger stars.
Bellingham, 19, shattered Iran’s hopes of irritating England when he rose to go his maiden senior worldwide objective within the first half. The objective made Bellingham the youngest England scorer at a World Cup since Michael Owen in 1998 and the primary participant born in 2000 or later ever to attain within the finals.
Gareth Southgate’s aspect was in glowing kind on the Khalifa Worldwide Stadium and targets from Saka and Raheem Sterling put them in full management earlier than half-time.
Saka, 21, netted once more after the interval and, though Mehdi Taremi struck twice for Iran, Marcus Rashford and Jack Grealish accomplished the demolition.
There will likely be far sterner checks to return for England as they bid to win their first main trophy because the 1966 World Cup.
However this was a welcome step in the suitable route for Southgate, whose group arrived in Qatar on a six-match winless run that triggered scathing criticism of the Three Lions boss and his perceived unfavorable ways.
The one concern for Southgate was the sight of Harry Maguire being changed within the second half after being checked for a possible head harm.
England play their second match towards the US on Friday and conclude their Group B fixtures towards Wales on November 29.
