England began their Qatar 2022 World Cup campaign in ruthless style today, thrashing Iran 6-2 in their Group B opener at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha.
The Arsenal star with Nigerian heritage Bukayo Saka netted twice, with Jude Bellingham, Raheem Sterling, Marcus Rashford and Jack Grealish also on the scoresheet for the Three Lions.
Mehdi Teremi scored Iran’s consolation goals.
Bellingham headed Gareth Southgate’s side in front with 35 minutes on the clock, with Saka and Sterling adding to the lead before the break.
Saka added another goal around the hour mark, while substitute Rashford scored England’s fifth after Taremi had pulled one back for Iran.
Another substitute Grealish added England’s sixth, before Taremi’s last-gasp penalty.
England were in control of the first half that an extra 14 minutes after a head injury to Iran goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand.
He was hurt after colliding with his teammate, Majid Hosseini, having tipped a Harry Kane cross away from danger inside the first 10 minutes.
After a long delay, Beiranvand was replaced by Hossein Hosseini and England almost took the lead, with Mason Mount firing wide and Harry Maguire’s header hitting the bar.
Borussia Dortmund star Bellingham then made the breakthrough, heading home from Luke Shaw’s cross for his first England goal.
Saka doubled the lead in some style seven minutes later, firing into the top corner from Maguire’s knock down at a corner. In the first minute of those 14 added to the first half, Sterling guided in Harry Kane’s cross at the near post to give England a 3-0 lead at the break.
Despite Iran manager Carlos Queiroz’s three changes at half-time, they went further behind in the 62nd minute as Saka cut in from the right, dribbled past defenders and rolled the ball beyond goalkeeper Hosseini.
Tehrami scored a consolation with Iran’s first real effort on goal, crashing a shot beyond England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
Rashford came on and scored with virtually his first touch, finishing from close range before Grealish added a sixth in the final minute to complete the rout.
VAR then handed Iran a penalty deep into added time, which Taremi easily converted.
Remarkably, all of England’s scorers had never scored in the World Cup before, and this is another six-goal game for the Three Lions in consecutive World Cups after their 6-1 win over Panama in Russia four years ago.
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