Wembley Stadium, usually reserved for the most intense battles, offered a different kind of spectacle on Thursday night. England played host to Wales in a friendly football match, a chance for both sides to stretch their legs without the pressure of World Cup qualifiers on the line. The Three Lions put on a dominant display, winning convincingly with a 3-0 scoreline.
England’s manager used the opportunity to blood some fresh faces, with many regular starters resting. Despite the changes, the team fired on all cylinders from the whistle. Morgan Rogers, a bright talent from Aston Villa, broke the deadlock just three minutes in, netting the first goal with a clever assist from Guéhi. The party continued at a blistering pace. Ollie Watkins, another Aston Villa forward, doubled the lead in the 11th minute, once again finding the net thanks to Guéhi’s precise passing. Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka then sealed the first-half rout, striking home England’s third goal in the 20th minute. By the time the halftime whistle blew, England was already up 3-0.
This short break from qualification duties proved useful for other European teams as well. Romania, also free from official fixtures, squared off against Moldova. They managed a 2-1 victory, with the final score already decided by halftime. Louis Munteanu opened the scoring for Romania after 12 minutes. An unexpected twist saw Moldovan goalkeeper Ionet Radu concede an own goal in the 38th minute, drawing the teams level. However, Ianis Hagi put Romania back in front just before the break, securing their winning goal in the 44th minute.
Further afield, Poland welcomed New Zealand for a friendly match. New Zealand is currently gearing up for their own World Cup preparations, making this a valuable test. Poland edged out the Oceanic visitors with a narrow 1-0 win. Piotr Zielinski bagged the solitary goal of the match in the 49th minute, proving to be the difference-maker.
While these friendlies offered a chance to experiment and fine-tune, the serious business of qualification is just around the corner. Wales is set to host Belgium on Monday for a crucial 2026 World Cup European qualifier. England will also be back in action the following day, traveling to Latvia for their next qualifying fixture. These upcoming matches will be a true test of their World Cup ambitions.