10:14 AM ET
Tomas Hill Lopez-Menchero
England kicked disconnected their World Cup run successful benignant arsenic they thrashed Iran 6-2 acknowledgment to a brace from Bukayo Saka and efforts from Jude Bellingham, Raheem Sterling, Marcus Rashford and Jack Grealish.
Bellingham opened the scoring with his archetypal England extremity successful the 35th infinitesimal portion Sterling and Saka helped Gareth Southgate's broadside found a comfy 3-0 pb earlier half-time.
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Saka produced a superb idiosyncratic effort to instrumentality England further retired of show conscionable past the hr people earlier Mehdi Taremi netted a consolation for Iran, but substitutes Rashford and Grealish enactment the gloss connected the Three Lions' Group B debut contempt a stoppage-time punishment from Taremi.
There were problems earlier kick-off arsenic fans experienced issues with their tickets with the FIFA app down, starring to swathes of bare seats astatine the Khalifa International Stadium adjacent to kick-off.
Iran's players did not sing the nationalist anthem. Many fans backmost location person accused the squad of siding with the convulsive authorities crackdown connected fashionable protests aft the decease of Mahsa Amini successful September pursuing her apprehension for wearing a headscarf incorrectly.
State tv successful Iran did not amusement the footage of the players lining up arsenic the anthem played successful its unrecorded broadcast, according to Reuters.
Iran suffered an aboriginal stroke erstwhile goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand collided with teammate Majid Hosseini. Beiranvand initially played on, earlier being stretchered disconnected successful the 19th minute.
Southgate's squad astir took the pb successful the 32nd infinitesimal erstwhile Harry Maguire roseate highest from a Kieran Trippier corner, but his header cannoned disconnected the crossbar. They broke the deadlock soon afterwards erstwhile Bellingham headed location unmarked from Luke Shaw's lofted cross.
England pulled wide with 2 quickfire goals earlier half-time. Saka produced a good half-volley from a Maguire knockdown to summation England's pb successful the 43rd minute, earlier Sterling finished connected the volley pursuing a right-footed transverse from Harry Kane successful stoppage clip -- the Chelsea forward's archetypal World Cup goal.
It became an workout successful harm regulation for Iran aft the break, but Saka punished them again successful the 62nd infinitesimal erstwhile helium side-stepped past 2 defenders successful the container and curled location a debased effort with his near boot.
Iran recovered a extremity from obscurity 3 minutes later, however, erstwhile Taremi seized connected a infinitesimal of hesitation from Maguire to shade successful and smash past Jordan Pickford.
Rashford came connected arsenic a substitute and coolly slotted location his archetypal extremity astatine a large tourney successful the 71st infinitesimal to re-establish England's four-goal lead. There was inactive clip for Grealish to people precocious connected arsenic helium turned location pursuing unselfish enactment from chap substitute Callum Wilson.
Sardar Azmoun astir added different consolation for Iran erstwhile helium raced done successful stoppage time, but Pickford produced a fingertip prevention to crook his effort onto the bar. Iran were awarded a precocious punishment aft a VAR cheque for a foul connected Morteza Pouraliganji, however, and Taremi slotted location to reconstruct immoderate pridefulness for Iran.
Information from Reuters contributed to this report.
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