MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2018 19 Salah scores twice, misses two penalties Southgate vows to in Egypt romp stick to principles AFP | London areth Southgate pledged to stick to his principles Gafter Spain delivered an I think we’ve got uncomfortable reality check at some players who Wembley but admitted he was unsure whether England had can and have shown time to become genuine Euro tonight they can 2020 challengers. perform at that England were surprise World level, and there’s Cup semi-finalists in July, riding some that are still a wave of euphoria back home, a work in progress. but their 2-1 Nations League de- We have got 19 feat on Saturday was their third consecutive loss. matches, it’s not Even during their mo - very long, but, in rale-boosting run in Russia, my opinion, we have manager Southgate warned got the best group there was still work to do and of players in the the performance at Wembley country here underlined that message. Marcus Rashford struck early GARETH SOUTHGATE for England but Saul Niguez levelled for Spain moments later stretcher against Spain after a and Rodrigo scored the winning heavy fall but said he was “do- goal later in the first half. England’s Jesse Lingard in action at Wembley with Spain’s Saul ing fine”. Substitute Danny Welbeck Tottenham full-back Kieran saw a stoppage-time leveller Trippier said there was no rea- controversially ruled out, mean- whether his side could close the “I think we have got to keep son for alarm despite the defeat, ing England head into Tuesday’s gap to the top teams before the faith in the way we’re trying to which follows losses to Croatia friendly against Switzerland next European Championship, play, otherwise we go back to in the last four in Russia and Mohamed Salah in action reeling from three successive in which the semi-finals and what we did historically and to Belgium in the third-place defeats in all competitions for final will be played at Wembley. there’s no way I believe we’ll play-off. Johannesburg, South Africa the first time since 1988. “I think we’ve got some play- ever be a top team if we do that,” “It is not a concern,” he said. Spain, who bowed out in the ers who can and have shown Southgate added. “We are building and that is all iverpool ace Mohamed World Cup last-16 after a torrid tonight they can perform at that Southgate plans to rotate his we can do, play against these LSalah scored twice and campaign, nevertheless showed level, and there’s some that are side at the King Power Stadium teams. We want to test ourselves missed two penalties as Egypt the benefits of a long-estab - still a work in progress,” he said. in Leicester and intends to bring against the best and certainly made a dream debut under KNOW WHAT lished identity and a level of “We have got 19 matches, it’s in reinforcements from the Un- tonight we put up a fight. Mexican coach Javier Aguirre creativity sorely lacking in Eng- not very long, but, in my opin- der-21s squad. “We knew it was going to be by crushing Niger 6-0 Satur- land’s midfield. ion, we have got the best group Manchester United defender a difficult game. These are the day in Africa Cup of Nations Southgate said he was unsure of players in the country here. Luke Shaw left the field on a teams we want to play against.” qualifying. Pictures of the Salah had clashed with clearly over- Egyptian football officials weight Nigerian ahead of the matchday 2 qual- goalkeeper Dave ifier in Alexandria for the 2019 Mussard, a part- finals over image-rights vio- time footballer Optimism for ‘new Spain’ as Luis lations and personal security. But once on the pitch, the who also works Egypt superstar was quickly in as a hotel pastry Enrique opens with win at Wembley the thick of the action, winning chef, went viral a first-minute penalty which was blocked. AFP | Madrid After Marwan Mohsen and al minnows the Seychelles in Ayman Ashraf goals gave the Group E. his is the new Spain”, 2018 World Cup flops a two- Captain Ahmed Musa, “Thailed the country’s top goal edge, Salah had another Chidozie Awaziem and Odion sports daily Marca, after Luis penalty saved, but scored from Ighalo, from a penalty, scored Enrique’s new dawn began with the rebound for a 3-0 half-time for the Super Eagles, but it was an affirming 2-1 win over Eng- advantage. home goalkeeper Dave Mus- land at Wembley on Saturday. The Liverpool sharpshooter, sard who became the centre Spain dropped to ninth in the who scored 32 English Pre - of attention. FIFA rankings, three places be- mier League goals last season low England, after their World in his first campaign at Anfield, Goalkeeper pictures go viral Cup defeat to Russia but there created the fourth goal for ris- Pictures of the clearly over- was little doubting the more ing star Salah Mohsen. weight 31-year-old, a part-time dominant team in London. Salah netted the fifth and footballer who also works as a The excellent Saul Niguez, Mohamed Elneny from Arse- hotel pastry chef, went viral. who cancelled out Marcus Rash- nal completed the rout with a Former Dutch star Clarence ford’s opener, was the stand-out goal two minutes into stoppage Seedorf survived a scare in his performer while Rodrigo More- time. debut as coach of Cameroon, no’s winner brought a rush of It was a wonderful start who fought back to draw 1-1 Spanish optimism for the future for former Mexico and Japan with lowly-ranked Comoros in under their new coach. manager Aguirre, who recently the southeastern Africa island “Luis Enrique has started signed a four-year contract as state. big, with a victory at Wemb - Rodrigo celebrates scoring what proved to be Spain’s winner against England at Wembley boss of the record seven-time El Fardou Ben Mohamed ley,” wrote Madrid daily, Diario African champions. from Red Star Belgrade gave AS. “A triumph that opens the only to tweak but convince the nificance to the contest, circling He succeeded Argentine a nation ranked 102 places Nations League and closes the players, and fans, that adjust- it as a fork in the road for La Hector Cuper, whose contract below the Cup of Nations ti- nightmare of the World Cup.” ment is the best way forward. Roja. “Few decisions in the re- was not renewed after Egypt tle-holders an early lead on His promise was for evolution Victories will bring belief. cent history of Spanish football lost all three group matches, to an artificial pitch in steamy not revolution and Spain de - Luis Enrique “It is a game that reinforces have had as much weight as the Uruguay, hosts Russia and Sau- conditions. livered, combining possession has started big, us in a special way,” Spain’s new first game of Luis Enrique,” it di Arabia, at the 2018 World It took the Indomitable Li- with spontaneity and precision, with a victory coach said. “Because not every wrote. “After five years of pro- Cup. ons a further 65 minutes to the type of which was so lacking at Wembley. A day do you win in a stadium gressive deterioration of the Despite the huge victory level through French top-tier during their stilted performanc- triumph that like this.” style that put the team at the margin, Egypt trail Tunisia in player Stephane Bahoken, and es in Russia. opens the Nations Barcelona daily, Mundo De- top of the world, the hope of Group J on the head-to-head spare former Real Madrid mid- “Spain has not lost the touch League and closes portivo, noted Luis Enrique’s a return to greatness had dis- rule having lost 1-0 away to fielder Seedorf’s blushes. (and it should not) but aims to dynamism on the touchline: sipated.” the north Africans in the first Seedorf, whose assistant is be much more versatile,” wrote the nightmare of “The Spaniard put his stamp on Among the innovations was round 15 months ago. another former Dutch star, Marca. “The team was more the World Cup the team from the first minute. Saul, who “personified the Nigeria were another team Patrick Kluivert, survived less vertical and much more aggres- He spent the game standing, change after being wasted in who rebounded from failing than six months in three other sive without the ball. They used giving instructions, correcting, Russia”, according to Marca, to make the World Cup last-16 managerial posts, including AC high pressure and England suf- screaming, suffering and ap- with the Atletico Madrid mid- in Russia by winning convinc- Milan and Deportivo la Co - fered.” plauding from the bench.” fielder drawing praise from all ingly -- 3-0 away to tradition- runa. Luis Enrique’s task is not El Pais attached a wider sig- corners of the Spanish press. .