World Cup: England knock Wales out of competition with 3-0 win
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England have qualified for the World Cup knockout stages after beating Wales 3-0 in Qatar.
Unfortunately for Wales, the loss at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium has brought their first World Cup appearance since 1958 to an end.
The Three Lions now stand at the top of Group B, followed by the USA, who have also qualified for the last 16 after beating Iran 1-0.
Despite a goalless first half, Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford managed to score in the 50th minute, followed by Manchester City’s Phil Foden just 60 seconds later.
Rashford also secured the team’s third goal of the match – tying him with France’s Kylian Mbappe and the Netherlands’ Cody Gakpo in the race for the competition’s Golden Boot.
Speaking after the game, he said: “Moments like this, this is what I play football for. The biggest moments, the best moments.
“I’m really happy today, I’m happy that we’re going through to the next round.”
England’s goals in pictures
PM congratulates England and says Wales should be ‘proud’
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak congratulated the team on the win and said Wales should be “proud” of their performance.
“Well done England on a strong performance and for progressing to the knockout stages,” he tweeted.
“Rob Page’s team have inspired millions across Wales and beyond. They can also be very proud tonight.”
Wales did come close to a goal in the 56th minute, when Kieffer Moore took a shot, but it was saved by goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
The team’s captain Gareth Bale was taken off at half-time, with manager Rob Page confirming after the match that the decision was due to injury.
Read more: Which team is predicted to win the World Cup?
On his side’s performance, Page said: “It was just a massive effort from all the group and I couldn’t be more proud of them. To get here is a massive achievement.
“My message is, don’t be disappointed. We’ve got to build for the future again now.”
England boss Gareth Southgate told the BBC: “I thought in the first half we really controlled the game, but we didn’t create many clear-cut chances.
“In the second half, once we got the two goals, we knew their spirit had probably gone, it’s been a tough tournament for them. I thought we kept our discipline and quality right to the end.
Both England and Wales took the knee before the game, in a sign of solidarity in the fight against discrimination – the first time Wales had done so in the tournament but the third time for England.
Meanwhile, in east London, England fans were busy celebrating the victory, with one man named David Fielding telling Sky News: “I’m absolutely overjoyed and proud of tonight’s squad.”
England will now go on to play Senegal on Sunday 4 December.
The USA beat Iran in the other Group B game, courtesy of Christian Pulisic’s goal seven minutes before half-time, to go through to the last 16 where they will play the Netherlands on Saturday 3 December.
In Michigan, President Joe Biden was cheered as he announced the final result to a crowd in a factory after giving a speech.
