Southgate's side had been accused of grinding through the gears rather than thrilling in the opening fixtures, but this was a performance that suggest...
Southgate's side had been accused of grinding through the gears rather than thrilling in the opening fixtures, but this was a performance that suggested a quiet confidence is building. The Spurs striker, as he so often does, provided the cutting edge. His first was a poacher's finish, a sharp reaction inside the box that left the goalkeeper with no chance. The second, a coolly taken penalty, showcased the nerve that defines elite marksmen. England's shape was solid, their transitional play sharp, and they rarely looked like conceding. This is the kind of controlled dominance that wins tournaments. The question now is whether they can maintain this level of clinical finishing against the deeper defensive lines they will face in the knockout rounds. For now, however, the Three Lions are purring.Meanwhile, in what may well be the game of the tournament so far, Belgium pulled off a stunning comeback against Senegal that had the hallmarks of their golden generation at its best. Trailing by a goal and looking sluggish in the first half, the Red Devils looked on the verge of a crisis. Then came the tactical shift at the interval that turned the tide. Martinez, or whoever is pulling the tactical strings these days, must have delivered a hairdryer treatment. They emerged with a ferocious intensity, pressing high and moving the ball at a relentless tempo. Two quickfire goals turned the match on its head, and a third late on sealed a victory that felt more like a statement than a simple group stage win. Senegal, for all their organisation and individual talent, simply could not handle the renewed urgency.What does this tell us about the broader picture Group F is now wide open, and the narrative of a fading Belgian side has been silenced, for now. England, for their part, look every inch a side capable of going deep. They have kept their defensive shape admirably and found a reliable goal scorer in top form. But this is the World Cup, where momentum is a fickle friend. One slip, one moment of madness, and the carefully constructed house of cards can tumble. The beauty of this tournament is that nobody is safe. Right now, though, Harry Kane is holding the cards, and Belgium have reminded everyone that they refuse to fold quietly.
