England Leave Out Marcus Rashford for Opener with Croatia

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13 June 2021 20:21 WIB

England's Marcus Rashford scores their first goal from the penalty spot during the match International Friendly between England vs Romania at Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough, June 6, 2021. A makeshift England side beat Romania 1-0 in their final Euro 2020 warm-up game on Sunday as Marcus Rashford converted a 68th-minute penalty. Pool via REUTERS/Nick Potts

TEMPO.CO, London - England manager Gareth Southgate left striker Marcus Rashford on the bench for his team’s Group D opener against Croatia at Wembley Stadium on Sunday.

Rashford’s Manchester United team mate Luke Shaw was also omitted, with Kieran Trippier and Kyle Walker named as the two full-backs.

Tyrone Mings was picked to partner John Stones in the centre of the English defence in the absence of the injured Harry Maguire.

Raheem Sterling, whose selection was uncertain after a disappointing run of form for Manchester City, started in attack alongside captain Harry Kane.

For Croatia, winger Ante Rebic starts as a ‘false nine’ at the expense of striker Bruno Petkovic in a 4-1-4-1 formation, with Andrej Kramaric and Ivan Perisic on either flank.

Captain Luka Modric and Mateo Kovacic are deployed in the middle with Marcelo Brozovic in a holding position.

At the back, Josko Gvardiol, who made his debut in last Sunday’s 1-0 friendly defeat at Belgium, gets the nod in the left-back slot ahead of Glasgow Rangers’ Borna Barisic.

Duje Caleta-Car partners Domagoj Vida in the centre of defence as Dejan Lovren has still not recovered from a knee ligament injury he picked up in the build-up to the tournament.

REUTERS