Christian Garcia’s first-half personal purpose and Declan Rice’s header after the break ensured England prolonged their excellent 2026 World Cup qualifying marketing campaign to 4 wins and moved 5 factors clear on the prime of Group Ok with victory over Andorra.
Centre-back Garcia headed Arsenal ahead Madueke’s right-wing cross previous Iker Alvarez within the twenty fifth minute after the Three Lions, who’re 170 locations above Andorra within the rankings, had struggled to check the goalkeeper in the course of the early phases at Villa Park.
The impasse is damaged! ✅
Noni Madueke’s cross is inadvertedly turned in by Christian García and England lead 🏴 pic.twitter.com/vsyexLKJ1s
— ITV Soccer (@itvfootball) September 6, 2025
Alvarez saved out spectacular debutant Elliot Anderson’s strike with a wonderful save shortly after half-time earlier than Reece James’ supply picked out Rice to nod in.
Declan Rice will get his sixth England purpose however what a ball from Reece James 😮💨⚽️ pic.twitter.com/KApmTuxfDm
— ITV Soccer (@itvfootball) September 6, 2025
England are subsequent in motion away to second-placed Serbia on Tuesday, whereas Andorra, who’ve misplaced all 5 of their fixtures within the group, go to Estonia in a pleasant on the identical day.
England crew vs Andorra
Marcus Rashford, Eberechi Eze and Madueke supported Harry Kane in assault for England, with Marc Guehi and Dan Burn in central defence.
Tottenham full-back Djed Spence – one other newcomer – was on the bench, as have been Aston Villa trio Ezri Konsa, Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins.
Actual Madrid ahead Jude Bellingham missed out following shoulder surgical procedure and Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton withdrew with an adductor problem.
Manchester Metropolis defender John Stones additionally pulled out with a muscle harm and midfielder Cole Palmer didn’t get well in time from a groin downside.
England beginning XI: Jordan Pickford, Reece James, Dan Burn, Marc Guehi, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Declan Rice, Elliot Anderson, Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke, Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford,
England substitutes: James Trafford, Dean Henderson, Ezri Konsa, Anthony Gordon, Jordan Henderson, Djed Spence, Morgan Rogers, Tino Livramento, Morgan Gibbs-White, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Ollie Watkins, Jarrod Bowen
Full England squad for September 2025 World Cup qualifiers
Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford, Dean Henderson, James Trafford
Defenders: Dan Burn, Marc Guehi, Reece James, Ezri Konsa, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Tino Livramento, Djed Spence, John Stones*
Midfielders: Elliot Anderson, Morgan Gibbs-White, Jordan Henderson, Declan Rice, Morgan Rogers, Adam Wharton*
Forwards: Jarrod Bowen, Eberechi Eze, Anthony Gordon, Harry Kane, Noni Madueke, Marcus Rashford, Ollie Watkins
* Withdrew via harm. Wharton changed by Ruben Loftus-Cheek
England World Cup qualifiers: What group are they in?
England’s opponents are Albania, Latvia, Andorra and Serbia. Of these opponents, Serbia’s standing of 32 firstly of qualifying made them by far the highest-ranked crew Tuchel’s facet will face.
Serbia proved difficult opponents at Euro 2024, with solely a Jude Bellingham purpose separating the groups of their opener in Germany.
Together with video games as Yugoslavia and Serbia & Montenegro, Dragan Stojkovic’s nation have misplaced their final 5 conferences with England, though they held a formidable file of 1 defeat of their final 21 World Cup qualifying matches earlier than the group started, profitable 14 and drawing six.
⏪ Again in November 2021…
🏴5️⃣-0️⃣🇦🇱 pic.twitter.com/JfIJQD39r0
— England (@England) March 21, 2025
Latvia are ranked 137th and have by no means performed England earlier than, whereas Andorra are 174th and have misplaced all seven of the encounters between the nations by an mixture rating of 26-0, though solely a Harry Kane purpose separated the edges in the course of the present marketing campaign.
Ben Chilwell, Bukayo Saka, Tammy Abraham, James Ward-Prowse and Jack Grealish scored when England gained 5-0 in Andorra in October 2021.
Albania are ranked 68th and lost 2-0 at Wembley Stadium in Tuchel’s first match in cost and England’s first qualifer on March 21.
They’re certainly one of 5 nations England have confronted greater than six occasions and gained in opposition to each time, alongside Luxembourg (9), San Marino (8), Malta (7) and Andorra (6).
Togetherness and making a bond 🤝 pic.twitter.com/hkQRundhgg
— England (@England) March 21, 2025
England soccer crew World Cup qualifying fixtures
All fixtures begin at 19:45 UK time (14:45 ET / 11:45 PT) until in any other case acknowledged.
Friday, March 21: England 2-0 Albania
Monday, March 24: England 3-0 Latvia
Saturday, June 7: Andorra 0-1 England
Saturday, September 6: England 2-0 Andorra
Tuesday, September 9: Serbia vs England
Tuesday, October 14: Latvia vs England
Thursday, November 13: England vs Serbia
Sunday, November 16: Albania vs England (17:00)
Sound on for this one. 🤩🔊 pic.twitter.com/ozcnaDn58Q
— England (@England) March 19, 2025
England video games: What occurs if Three Lions prime group?
The highest crew from every of the 12 European Qualifier teams proceeds routinely to the finals, which will likely be expanded to 48 groups.
Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Portugal, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain, France and Croatia are among the many different favourites to win their teams.
What occurs if England end second in World Cup qualifiers?
England will likely be eradicated in the event that they end third or beneath and enter the play-offs between March 26-31 2026 if they arrive second.
The 12 runners-up in every group will be a part of 4 Nations League groups within the play-offs, which will likely be drawn from pots primarily based on groups’ data in the course of the marketing campaign. The video games will comprise single-leg semi-finals and finals.
The draw for the World Cup finals will happen in December 2025. The match runs from June 11 till July 19 2026.
