World Cup: England miss chance to wrap up last-16 spot in USA draw - reaction

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2. FT: England 0-0 USA - Three Lions booed off after drab draw
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Ten-year-old Bellingham's England dream

When Jude Bellingham was 10, he wrote in his year's leavers book at primary school that his aspiration was to "play for England". To be honest, I think he undersold himself. "Star for England in a World Cup opener in one of the most impressive displays for a young player the country has seen" would have been a more accurate prediction.

Vanessa Payne, of Hagley Primary School, near Stourbridge, told BBC Radio Hereford & Worcester that the footballer, who was in class 6T before he left, "stood out for us all those years ago".

"He was kind, he was thoughtful and he was a good sport - and he was just somebody people wanted to be around," she added.

To read more about young Jude, have a read of this piece.

England 87% chance of reaching last 16

Simon Gleave

Head of sports analysis, Nielsen Gracenote

After beginning the tournament with a 64% chance of reaching the last-16 according to our predictions, England improved this to 87% with their 6-2 opening match victory against Iran.

The USA can go for it tonight, safe in the knowledge that their chance of progress will be more or less the same whether they draw or lose whereas victory will make them one of the top two favourites to go through from Group B.

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Reid: Completely agree with keeping an unchanged England. They're strong up front and will take advantage of the States' vulnerabilities.

Anon: Saka with a hat trick today. Captain with three assists.

Will: Getting ready to watch the Three Lions on a beach in Barbados with a beer in hand. Friday afternoons don’t get better.

Andy Cryer

BBC Sport in Qatar

The American fans seem determined to enjoy themselves this evening, they seem pretty confident as well...

'England can outplay USA'

Alex Scott

Former England and Arsenal defender on BBC One

This England team know that the USA are strong in certain areas. The battles out wide are going to be interesting. USA have a clear pattern in terms of when they have possession.

Their wing backs are high, their two midfielders drop to hopefully get on the ball and progress the ball. But if England play like they did technically, they can outplay USA for sure.

Alex Howell

BBC Sport in Qatar

A slow trickle of fans outside the Al Bayt. The lights you can see in the distance are the fan zone. England are unchanged for the match today and fans are expectant.

BBC Sport

Team news - USA's Wright in for Sargent

Just the one change for the USA from their 1-1 draw against Wales on Monday.

Forward Haji Wright starts ahead of Josh Sargent along with Chelsea's Christian Pulisic and Timothy Weah, who scored the goal that put his side ahead against Wales.

Starting XI: Turner, Dest, Zimmerman, Adams, Robinson, Musah, McKennie, Pulisic, Ream, Wright, Weah

BBC Sport

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Anon: 5-0 win incoming for the England boys, goals from Kane x2, Maguire, Sterling & Saka.

Anon: I think Southgate has picked the right team, everyone performed against Iran. Change it up for Wales if we win tonight.

It has finished 1-1 in the game between Netherlands and Ecuador. With the former facing Qatar next, you imagine they'll progress, but it's all to play for in the other final Group A game between the Ecuadorians and Senegal.

That means we have just one game to go on day six!

‘I’d love to have a clean slate tonight’

BBC Radio 5 Live

BBC Radio 5 Live has been catching up with England fans Lucy, Kat and Anna, who all live in Qatar.

“I’m really positive about our chances tonight, we set a really good boundary against Iran," said Lucy.

“Hopefully I see more goals tonight, another comfortable win and hopefully start easing our way into the next round of 16."

Kat added: “We can’t get too comfortable…we’ve had a couple of shock results so far so I hope England aren’t on the wrong end of the result later.”

Reflecting on the World Cup so far, Anna said: “The atmosphere that all the different countries and fans are bringing has brought the city to life”.

BBC Sport

Sterling effort

England name an unchanged starting XI for the first time since doing so in the 2018 World Cup semi-final against Croatia.

The last seven occasions England have named an unchanged starting line-up have come in major tournaments (2010 World Cup, Euro 2012, 2014 World Cup, Euro 2016, twice at 2018 World Cup, today’s game).

Raheem Sterling today makes his 21st appearance for England at a major tournament (11 World Cup, 10 Euros), drawing level with Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard. Only Ashley Cole (22) has made more appearances for the Three Lions at the World Cup and Euros combined.

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An unchanged side is the right thing to do, same team same result please.

Paul in Southampton

'I'm all for Southgate keeping same team'

Martin Keown

Former England defender on BBC Radio 5 Live

I’m all for Gareth Southgate keeping the line-up the same.

If I played that well in an England shirt, as they all did, none of those players deserves to be left out.

I can rarely remember a better performance from a first game…Bellingham in midfield and Saka, such great talent, to see them do it on this stage was really fulfilling.

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Team news - England unchanged for USA

As was expected, Gareth Southgate has opted for an unchanged starting eleven for England's second group game against the USA.

Harry Maguire is fit to start after coming off with an illness in England's opener against Iran. As is captain Harry Kane who was a fitness doubt after having a scan on his ankle.

Bukayo Saka again starts ahead of Phil Foden along with fellow youngster Jude Bellingham.

Starting XI: Pickford, Shaw, Rice, Stones, Maguire, Kane, Sterling, Trippier, Saka, Mount, Bellingham

Subs: Walker, Grealish, Henderson, Rashford, Pope, Phillips, Dier, Coady, Alexander-Arnold, Foden, White, Gallagher, Ramsdale, Wilson

BBC Sport

The early reports said Gareth Southgate would go with an unchanged team. You selected an unchanged XI in our team selector. Well, guess what...?

Game of two halves

As the US showed against Wales - in the first-half at least - they know how to play.

They were vibrant before the break and led through Timothy Weah's neat finish, before Wales hit back through a Gareth Bale penalty.

You can remind yourself of that contest below...

Andy Cryer

BBC Sport in Qatar

The amosphere is building outside the Al Bayt Stadium.

First things first though, merchandise anyone?

American boys

The USA are probably as good as they have ever been for an encounter with England at a World Cup. Gregg Berhalter (presumably not named after the pasty shop) has plenty of talent in his squad, much of them very familiar with the England lads.

There's this lad in net...

Getty Images

Matt Turner

This pair at the back...

Getty Images

Antonee Robinson and Tim Ream

This duo further forward...

Getty Images

Tyler Adams and Brenden Aaronson

And these two up top...

Getty Images

Christian Pulisic and Josh Sargent

There's also reserve keeper Ethan Horvath (Luton), Cameron Carter-Vickers (ex-Spurs and a host of loan clubs, now Celtic), DeAndre Yedlin (ex-Spurs and Newcastle) and Timothy Weah (son of George and ex-Celtic loanee).

If you've watched the Champions League, you'll know Weston McKennie (Juventus), Sergino Dest (Milan) and Giovanni Reyna (Dortmund) well too.

Look away, Rob Green...

The only other time England and the United States have met in the World Cup was in South Africa 12 years ago.

Fabio Capello was England coach back then and had overseen a stellar qualification to reach the tournament, with nine wins and a single defeat, in Ukraine. You remember, it was the campaign in which Theo Walcott scored a hat-trick in Croatia and we all got carried away. England scored 34 times, the most of any side to reach South Africa.

Capello took the oldest England World Cup squad ever to the event. Confidence was high. Much of the "Golden Generation" were still around - Rooney, Lampard, Gerrard, Terry. However, Rio Ferdinand suffered an injury ahead of the first game that ended his tournament. First up, was the Americans.

It started well. Steven Gerrard gave the Three Lions the lead in just the fourth minute. That was pretty much as good as it got. Rob Green's howler - allowing a tame, dribbling Clint Dempsey shot to find its way past him and over the line - served notice of the horror show to come.

That first game finished 1-1. England finished second behind the US in the group and that brought them face to face with Germany for one of the worst officiating decisions of all time in the midst of an absolute battering.

Green's mistake (29) and England humiliation at the hands of Germany (12) were both included in our list of great World Cup moments back in 2018...

50 Great World Cup moments: England's Rob Green concedes an awful goal to USA - 2010

50 Great World Cup moments: Germany 4-1 England - 2010