FIFA World Cup Qualifier: Unimpressive England beats Andorra 2-0 to go top of Group K
FIFA World Cup Qualifier: Unimpressive England beats Andorra 2-0 to go top of Group K
England needed an own goal to open the scoring in a 2-0 win over Andorra in a World Cup qualifier on Saturday before Declan Rice made the result more respectable as it failed to sparkle against the tiny principality ranked 170 places below it.
A fourth win in four for Thomas Tuchel’s team in its campaign for next year’s finals put it in command of Group K on 12 points ahead of Tuesday’s game in Serbia.
But often slow build-up play did not excite the near-40,000 Villa Park crowd and will fuel grumbles that it has become a duller team under German Thomas Tuchel despite his perfect record in the qualifiers.
England’s opener came in the 25th minute when a fine cross from Noni Madueke skimmed off Andorra defender Christian Garcia’s head into the net with Harry Kane lurking behind him.
Rice added the second in the 67th minute when he met another superb cross, from Reece James this time, to steer a downward header past goalkeeper Iker Alvarez to wrap up the victory against 174th-ranked Andorra.
Andorra, who draw their squad from a population of 80,000, stuck doggedly to their gameplan of packing the defence, often keeping nine men behind the ball and leaving Ricard Fernandez totally isolated up front.
That gave England a remarkable 83% possession, but the hosts fashioned few clear-cut chances beyond Eberechi Eze forcing a save, captain Kane narrowly missing a toe-poke and Marcus Rashford curling a shot wide.
One positive for Tuchel, though, was an impressive debut from midfielder Elliot Anderson, who looked assured and slick, albeit against opposition far inferior to what he normally faces in the Premier League for Nottingham Forest.
Accustomed to cantering comfortably into tournaments but still without a major trophy since its 1966 World Cup win, England remain unbeaten in their last 35 World Cup qualifiers with 27 of those won.
Published on Sep 06, 2025
