"And here are the best bits from tonight's 2-0 win. All things considered the stadium announcer at Villa Park probably deserves some kind of civic heritage award for his fine work preserving the dry gallows humour of this part of the Midlands. What was this occasion exactly? Ninety minutes of light cardio? A day to marvel, perhaps more than ever before, at the contrast in tone and staging between the basic product of club and international football?"
"The only moment of any note came on 65 minutes, as Andorra slackened just enough in the business of getting in the way, leaving space on the England right for Reece James to curl in a really nice dipping cross. Declan Rice nodded it down and inside the far post to make it 2-0. Otherwise, this was what exactly? What does a good game against Andorra look like? There must be goals."
The stadium announcer at Villa Park preserved the dry gallows humour of the Midlands. The match resembled mid-range pageantry, stressing tone and staging over competitive drama. England’s only objective was to win, and they achieved a 2-0 victory that provided a harmless warm-up for Serbia with no injuries. The game felt unmemorable and textureless for long stretches. The decisive moment arrived on 65 minutes when Reece James curled a cross and Declan Rice nodded it in. Ebe Eze began with a licence to vary play and showed early energy but failed to break through the lines consistently.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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