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England beat New Zealand 1-0 in a friendly match late on Saturday night in preparation for the 2026 World Cup.
The victory for the Three Lions was achieved thanks to a goal from captain Harry Kane in first half stoppage time (45+3).
In the encounter, New Zealand showed great defensive discipline despite being under constant pressure throughout the match to show their readiness to face the teams in their World Cup group, Egypt, Belgium and Iran.
England dominated the game from the start and threatened Max Crocombe’s goal on several occasions through Marcus Rashford, Harry Kane and John Stones, while defender Finn Surman and goalkeeper Crocombe excelled to save several chances.
Despite a huge difference in possession and passing, New Zealand showed remarkable defensive cohesion and relied on counter-attacks led by Chris Wood and Matthew Garbett.
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Garbett almost surprised the hosts in the 27th minute when he produced a powerful shot that forced Jordan Pickford into the mix.
The decisive moment came in the third minute of first-half stoppage time when Kane rose from Jade Spence’s cross to head home to give England the lead.
England continued to dominate in the second half, with coach Thomas Tuchel making 11 substitutions at once, while New Zealand made limited attempts to hold on.
Dan Byrne went close to scoring a second after his header hit the post and England’s penalty appeal was ruled out for offside.
New Zealand held their composure until the final whistle, despite a clear margin of opportunity, to come away with a narrow defeat against one of the most popular title contenders in a Test that provided useful indicators ahead of the much-anticipated World Cup showdown.
