World Cup Warm Up | England 1 - 0 New Zealand
A useful exercise for Thomas Tuchel.
The England head coach fielded completely different teams in each half as preparations for the World Cup continued with a narrow victory over New Zealand
Author | George B
Stadium | Raymond James Stadium
Harry Kane, England's ever-reliable captain, headed home his 79th international goal in 113 appearances just moments before half-time.
Tuchel then made sweeping changes, opting to assess the majority of his squad as the countdown continued towards England's opening group-stage match against Croatia in Dallas on 17 June.
Liverpool's 17-year-old winger Rio Ngumoha, who is not part of the 26-man World Cup squad, was handed his senior debut, becoming the fifth-youngest player to represent England.
The experimental nature of Tuchel's side was reflected in a subdued contest played in sweltering conditions, but it will have served as a valuable acclimatisation exercise ahead of Wednesday's final pre-World Cup friendly against Costa Rica in Orlando.
Tuchel examines options
Tuchel was never likely to take unnecessary risks in what effectively became a glorified training exercise in the Florida heat.
Instead, the focus was on giving his World Cup squad valuable minutes as they continue to adapt to the demanding conditions in the United States. Drinks breaks were taken midway through each half, as they will be during the tournament itself, providing another useful opportunity for players to acclimatise ahead of the competition.
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