England\u2019s 19-year-old midfielder Bellingham underlined why some of Europe\u2019s biggest clubs have got him in their sights
\n DOHA
\nEngland got their World Cup campaign off to a flying start as they rattled in the goals past a shell-shocked Iran and cruised to an impressive 6-2 Group B victory on Monday in a timely return to form for Gareth Southgate\u2019s side.
\nEngland came into the tournament without a win in six games, but a dynamic opening 45 minutes in which Jude Bellingham scored his first England goal, Bukayo Saka doubled the lead and Raheem Sterling grabbed a third set up a second-half stroll.
\nSaka\u2019s second goal after the break allowed them to take their foot off the gas and opened the door for Iran to grab one back through Mehdi Taremi, before substitutes Marcus Rashford and Jack Grealish rounded off England\u2019s scoring.
\nWhile Iran\u2019s Taremi grabbed another from the penalty spot in the 13th minute of stoppage time, given for a minor shirt pull after a VAR review, England\u2019s work was already done.
\n\u201cWe haven\u2019t played the best coming into the tournament. There was a lot of talk and speculation about our form but we showed everyone how much quality we have and what we can do,\u201d said Saka, whose last major tournament ended with him missing a penalty in the Euro 2020 final shootout.
\nRolls-Royce
\nEngland\u2019s 19-year-old midfielder Bellingham underlined why some of Europe\u2019s biggest clubs have got him in their sights, as he purred like a Rolls-Royce in the engine room and his opening goal set England on their way at Khalifa International Stadium.
\nTiming his run perfectly, Bellingham rose to meet Luke Shaw\u2019s cross from the left, and directed a looping header over the keeper and into the top corner in the 35th minute to become the first player born in or after 2000 to score at the World Cup.
\nShaw was the provider again for England\u2019s second goal as his corner was headed back across the area by Harry Maguire to Saka, who volleyed expertly into the top corner.
\nThe game was then effectively ended as a contest when Sterling added a third, finishing with the outside of his boot on the volley from Harry Kane\u2019s cross after Bellingham was once again involved in the buildup.
\nEngland were not done however, as Saka grabbed his second in the 62nd minute.
\nSterling, whose place in the side had been under scrutiny following mixed form for Chelsea, turned in midfield and fed Saka, who jinked inside then out, before dropping his shoulder and calmly slotting the ball into the bottom corner.
\nIran pulled one back when Vahid Amiri fed Taremi and he smashed it into the top corner past England keeper Jordan Pickford but Rashford came on in a raft of England changes in the 70th minute and cut inside a defender before slotting his side\u2019s fifth moments later.
\nEngland\u2019s Grealish turned in their sixth from close range in the 90th minute after fellow substitute Callum Wilson\u2019s run and cross from the right, before Taremi\u2019s late spot kick. They will next face the United States on Friday, when Iran take on Wales. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
England\u2019s 19-year-old midfielder Bellingham underlined why some of Europe\u2019s biggest clubs have got him in their sights DOHA England got their World Cup campaign off to a flying start as they rattled in the goals past a shell-shocked Iran and cruised to an impressive 6-2 Group B victory on Monday in a timely return to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":296667,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-296643","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n