Calvert-Lewin leads trio of 1st-time England scorers v Wales

Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Danny Ings and Cor Coady scored ir first England goals in a 3-0 victory over Wales in a friendly on Thursday when international football returned to Wembley after 11 months.

It was least experienced lineup deployed by England in four decades, with only 54 international appearances among starting XI and Calvert-Lewin one of two players making ir debuts.

Reproducing form with Everton that earned him a first call-up, striker took only 26 minutes to head in from Jack Grealish's cross inside an empty rth London stadium.

“It is a shame re are fans here to celebrate, and my family could have been here, so bittersweet in that sense," 23-year-old Calvert-Lewin said. “I have worked very hard to get here, it has felt like a long road."

It included a spell playing n-league football before breaking into Premier League and also featuring in in a World Cup final win for England's under-20 team in 2017.

“He had excellent presence, his runs were a threat, he presses well," England coach Gareth Southgate said. "He’s an all-round center forward and I’ve always liked his general play. It’s goals he’s adding w that are making ar level of player.”

While finding target was anticipated of a player who w has 10 goals in seven matches for club and country, Coady making scoresheet was t expected.

But defender, who has only one goal in five years for Wolverhampton Wanderers, got on end of Kieran Trippier's free kick with a half-volley eight minutes into second half of his second England appearance.

“I am still in a bit of shock,” said 27-year-old Coady, who ended game as captain. “It will live with me forever. It will be on repeat in my house with my kids. It is an amazing night for me.”

most spectacular of three goals came from player who had to wait longest to make his mark for England.

Meeting Tyrone Mings' cross, Ings sent an overhead kick past goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey in 63rd minute.

Having first been called up for international duty in 2015, this was only third time 28-year-old Southampton striker had worn Three Lions jersey and his first start.

It was an experimental starting lineup, with Southgate's main priority Nations League games against Belgium on Sunday and Denmark on Wednesday.

“re is opportunity re for m to grab a place and push mselves up pecking order," Southgate said. “Several did that and re is competition for places.”

Tammy Abraham, Ben Chilwell and Jadon Sancho could return for upcoming games after being excluded as part of medical precautions for breaching coronavirus guidelines at a weekend garing.

Three games are being squeezed in over next week as countries catch up on games postponed earlier in pandemic.

While fans are still being shut out of Wembley, supporters are returning to stadiums elsewhere in Europe, with thousands attending in Brussels to see Belgium draw 1-1 with Ivory Coast in a friendly. Michy Batshuayi's opener for hosts was canceled out by Franck Kessié's penalty in 87th minute which ended Belgium's run of 12 successive victories.

Im credits: AP

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