Pickford & England Earn Victory In Final World Cup Warm-Up Clash

Jordan Pickford played 63 minutes for England on Wednesday night as the Three Lions earned a 2-0 victory over Costa Rica in their final test before the World Cup.

A delayed kick-off in Miami, Florida due to severe weather conditions, Thomas Tuchel’s side struck into the lead on 10 minutes through Arsenal’s Declan Rice.

In a dominant display for the Three Lions, it was an uneventful encounter for Everton’s Pickford, who, just after the hour-mark was replaced by Crystal Palace’s Dean Henderson.

The straight swap was one of a sixfold substitution by Tuchel, resting key players ahead of England’s World Cup campaign beginning next Wednesday (9pm BST) against Croatia in Arlington, Texas.

An Anthony Gordon spot-kick doubled the Three Lions’ lead on 68 minutes, before Ollie Watkins nodded home a third in the 87^th.

For England – in Group L of the World Cup – group matches against Ghana (23 June) and Panama (27 June) follow Wednesday’s meeting with Croatia.