LONDON: An 86th-minute header from centre-back Chris Smalling spared England’s blushes as they squeezed past 10-man Portugal 1-0 at Wembley on Thursday in their final Euro 2016 warm-up game.
While Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo was rested following his involvement in Real Madrid’s Champions League final victory over Atletico
Madrid last weekend, England manager Roy Hodgson was effectively able to name a full-strength line-up.
But with his side’s Group B opener against Russia in Marseille just nine days away, it took Smalling’s first international goal to secure victory after the hosts had toiled badly despite playing against 10 men following the 35th-minute dismissal of Bruno Alves.
A bullish Hodgson told ITV: “I’m not prepared to accept that we didn’t play well.We looked good, we had composure throughout the game and it would have been better to play against 11.
“I’m not prepared to stand here and criticise some players. If I start being dissatisfied with three wins against Australia and Portugal,
I’m going to be a hard coach to satisfy.” Nonetheless, despite having managed to prevail in all three of their pre-tournament friendlies, England will travel to France on Monday accompanied by more doubts than certainties.
