Raheem Sterling scored a goal and provided an assist to help England produce one of the comfortable football scores of the midweek friendly action. Ollie Watkins opened the scoring in the 30th minute before Serge Aurier was sent off on the stroke of half-time. Sterling made it two in the 45th minute before Tyrone Mings sealed the win in the third minute of stoppage time.
Player ratings
England: Pope (6), White (5), Mings (8), Maguire (7), Mitchell (7), Rice (6), Bellingham (7), Ward-Prowse (6), Grealish (7), Watkins (8), Sterling (8).
Subs: Walker-Peters (6), Shaw (6), Foden (6), Kane (5), Smith Rowe (5), Gallagher (n/a).
Ivory Coast: Sangare (5), Aurier (1), Bailly (5), Deli (5), Kamara (4), Pepe (5), Kessie (5), Seri (5), Gradel (5), Haller (4), Cornet (4).
Subs: Agbadou (5), Boly (5), Coulibaly (5), Akouokou (n/a), Boli (n/a).
Man of the Match: Raheem Sterling
Managers Reaction
Gareth Southgate, England head coach: “I thought the reception was a joke. An absolute joke. What he’s done for us and the way he has performed for England has been phenomenal. I don’t get it. We’re either all in this together or we’re not. He’s in an England shirt and not only should you support someone in an England shirt regardless but when he’s played at the level he has, it should be total commitment behind him. So, I don’t get it.”
Patrice Beaumelle, Ivory Coast head coach: “Unfortunately we get a red card so early, and afterward we were obliged to run after the ball. Already 11 v11 it was quite difficult. 11 v 10 it was quite impossible. When we were one less player the game was done for us and it was quite difficult to give a good challenge. I think there is a clear challenge in the midfield and Serge gets obstructed and he is thinking it was a foul. For me, it was a light foul but it was a foul. It killed the spectacle because even for the fans it wasn’t a game anymore.”
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