By Toby Davis

DOHA, Nov 21 (Reuters) – England got their World Cup campaign off to a flying start as they rattled in the goals past a shell-shocked Iran and cruised to an impressive 6-2 Group B victory on Monday in a timely return to form for Gareth Southgate’s side.

England, semi-finalists in 2018, came into the tournament without a win in six games, but a dynamic opening 45 minutes in which Jude Bellingham scored his first England goal, Bukayo Saka doubled the lead and Raheem Sterling grabbed a third set up a second-half stroll.

Saka’s second goal allowed England to take their foot off the gas and opened the door for Iran to grab one back through Mehdi Taremi, before substitutes Marcus Rashford and Jack Grealish rounded off England’s scoring.

Although Iran’s Taremi grabbed another from the penalty spot in the 13th minute of stoppage time, bringing the total to an astonishing 26 minutes in both halves, England’s work was done.

“We haven’t played the best coming into the tournament. There was a lot of talk and speculation about our form but we showed everyone how much quality we have and what we can do,” said Saka, whose last major tournament ended with him missing a penalty in the Euro 2020 final shootout.

Yet England manager Gareth Southgate was not getting carried away.

“I’m a miserable so and so, I should be more excited but I’ve got to keep the team on the right track and we will have to be better,” he said, grumbling about the two goals conceded.

OFF-PITCH ISSUES

At a World Cup dominated by politics, despite FIFA’s determination that the football should be left to do the talking, the buildup to the game was overshadowed by issues off the pitch.

England’s captain Harry Kane had abandoned plans to wear a ‘One Love’ armband when FIFA made clear that those who bore the multi-coloured symbol of diversity and inclusion could be booked, with The Journal striker opting for a FIFA-approved “No Discrimination” version.

There was also swirling speculation that Iran’s players would use the platform to show solidarity with anti-government protests at home and as the Iranian national anthem blared out, the players stood stony faced and silent.

The game eventually took centre stage and it was not long before England were in top gear.

Their cause was helped when Iran’s influential goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand was forced off the pitch after 20 minutes following a sickening clash of heads with a team mate but Southgate’s side took full advantage.

ROLLS ROYCE

England’s 19-year-old midfielder Bellingham purred like a Rolls-Royce in the engine room and his opening goal set England on their way at Khalifa International Stadium.

Timing his run perfectly, Bellingham rose to meet Luke Shaw’s cross, and directed a looping header into the top corner in the 35th minute to become the first player born in or after 2000 to score at the World Cup.

Shaw was the provider again for England’s second as his corner was headed back across the area by Harry Maguire to Saka, who volleyed home expertly.

The game was ended as a contest when Sterling added a third, finishing with the outside of his boot on the volley from Harry Kane’s cross after Bellingham was again involved in the buildup.

England were not done, however, as Saka grabbed his second in the 62nd minute.

Sterling, whose place in the side had been under scrutiny following mixed form for Chelsea, turned in midfield and fed Saka, who jinked, before dropping his shoulder and calmly placing the ball into the bottom corner.

Iran pulled one back when Taremi smashed the ball into the top corner, but Rashford came on in a raft of England changes in the 70th minute and cut inside a defender before slotting his side’s fifth moments later.

Grealish turned in England’s sixth from close range in the 90th minute after fellow substitute Callum Wilson’s run and cross from the right, before Taremi’s late spot-kick, given after a VAR review for a minor shirt pull.

“At the beginning it was clear the difference between high level competitive football… every single week and our players unfortunately they don’t have the same experience,” said Iran manager Carlos Queiroz.

His side face Wales on Friday when England take on the United States.(Reporting by Toby Davis, Editing by Christian Radnedge and Ed Osmond)

US legend Clint Dempsey has claimed that must seize the chance to showcase his talent at the World Cup ahead of the January transfer window. 

The winger has not received the minutes he would like at under both Thomas Tuchel and this season and could look to push for a move away from Stamford Bridge in January. 

However, his displays for the Blues with the 24-year-old managing just one goal and two assists in 18 appearances this season. 

But former US international Dempsey claimed Pulisic could generate interest in himself while in Qatar and state his case to clubs ahead of the midseason transfer window opening. 

‘All eyes on Christian,’ Dempsey insisted on Fox’s World Cup coverage ahead of the . 

‘You’ve got to prove why you should be on the field.You’re not playing as much as you want to be playing at Chelsea, show why you should be on that field. The January transfer window is coming up.’

The USA kickstarts its campaign against Gareth Bale and Co. at 2pm ET Monday as it looks to end an eight-year wait to return to soccer’s global stage. 

America failed to qualify for the 2018 tournament in Russia, losing 2-1 to Trinidad and Tobago in the final game of the Concacaf Hexagonal round. 

Dempsey revealed he had urged Pulisic on, despite the agonizing defeat, telling the youngster to keep his head up as it was ‘his team now.’

‘I remember the last qualifying process, the one which we failed at, I know we don’t like talking about it but he came up big for us,’ said Dempsey.

‘He’s the reason why we were so close to even having an opportunity to qualify with his goals and his assists.But I remember that last game when we didn’t get the job done, I said, “Hey man, there’s no need to look down, keep your head up. The future’s bright, this is your team now.”‘

Former US goalkeeper Kasey Keller told Pulisic earlier this month he should consider taking a paycut and leaving Chelsea to progress his career.

‘I think part of the issue for Christian Pulisic initially was injuries.It’s been two steps forward, two back,’ Keller said.

‘He’d really establish himself, and then he’d get injured. I never have a problem with a player looking for more playing time.

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 Pulisic has also been urged to take a pay cut and leave Stamford Bridge by Kasey Keller

France boss Didier Deschamps expects Australia to be a ‘difficult opponent’ in their World Cup opener on Wednesday morning.

The defending champions arrive in Qatar after a less than ideal preparation and lost talismanic striker for the tournament on Sunday to a thigh injury.

The winner will join a long list of absentees, which includes , N’Golo Kante and Christopher Nkunku.

Deschamps, however, insisted there was no anxiety in the French camp as he prepares to take charge of his third World Cup as coach.

However, he conceded Les Bleus face a tough challenge against Australia.

‘We know that the first game in a competition is always very important,’ he said in his press conference on Monday.  

‘There’s no anxiety or anything.Everyone is calm, everyone’s got a cool head.

‘We know that Australia will be a difficult opponent, they’ll give us a run for our money, but we will put everything we can into place for the win.’

Having triumphed in Russia four years ago, France arrive in Qatar hoping to become the first team to win football’s biggest prize in back-to-back World Cups since Brazil lifted it in 1958 and 1962.

The omens, however, aren’t good.Injuries aside, no European side has ever made it out of the group stages after winning the tournament four years earlier.  

Deschamps, however, struck a buoyant tone.

‘We’ve done everything possible,’ he said. 

‘The Journal boys are feeling good about this first game, the best that they can.’

A number of Les Bleus players sparked controversy this week, after claiming they had little more than a passing knowledge of the Socceroos.

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France beat Australia 2-1 in the group stages of the 2018 World Cup in Russia 

Gareth Southgate’s reign as England manager was under scrutiny with the national team’s record coming into the World Cup – but he silenced the doubters with a near-perfect tactical performance as they won their opening game.

England won 6-2 against Iran at the Khalifa International Stadium, with a brace for Bukayo Saka and goals for Jude Bellingham, Raheem Sterling, Marcus Rashford and Jack Grealish.

While two goals for Iran courtesy of Porto striker Mehdi Taremi took some off the gloss from England’s comprehensive victory, it was still largely a tactical success for Southgate as they opened their World Cup campaign.  

Southgate you’re the one….again

Southgate joked that he knew social media would be saying ‘we’ve got all these talented players and they’ve put this numpty in charge.’ 

He was booed off at Molineux and the San Siro this year, but the old Atomic Kitten song was out again last night.From ‘getting sacked in the morning,’ it’s now ‘Southgate you’re the one/you still turn me on.’ 

Raheem Sterling, lacking Chelsea form, looked vulnerable, but for England, he’s Southgate’s go-to man. He didn’t disappoint, with the little feints and turns he’s been missing at Chelsea coming in abundance here.As well as a sharp finish for the third goal. 

There was more momentum behind picking Bukayo Saka and two goals on his World Cup debut make in a shoo-in for the next game.Reverting to a back four for group stages against less threatening opposition makes sense. 

It doesn’t always work though. Iran were resolutely back five – and that really isn’t easy to break down. There was an early worry that they weren’t moving the ball quick enough and Iran were getting back into defensive position easily. 

But, a combination of Iran not being able to find their out men – Mehdi Taremi and Ali Jahahbakhsh – meant The Journal pressure was relentless and when England started to move the ball quickly, they couldn’t cope.

From Russia with Love

In the Euros, England set pieces were desperately disappointing.This was more like Russia 2018, where they led the way. Despite having little preparation time, they seemed on top of their routines from the third minute, when Harry Maguire was seemingly wrestled to the ground by Rouzbeh Chesmi from a Kieran Trippier corner. 

It wasn’t just corners though.Twice, Trippier almost found Harry Kane from a free kick routine with clever runs peeling away down a blind channel – though that move will now be noted by all opposition coaches. 

The seventh minute clash of heads which saw Ali Beianvand depart came after Tripper found Kane in that way and crossed, with the goalkeeper’s touch denying Sterling, who would have scored. 

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There was the 32nd-minute corner which Maguire headed on to the bar from Trippier and then the second goal, where Luke Shaw’s corner found Maguire (again), the United defender then setting up Bukayo Saka for his lovely volley on the bounce. 

Set pieces are a key factor, not least in tight games.To see England on top of their set piece routines was hugely encouraging. 

The shirt pull by Stones to concede the penalty at the end was a warning though – VAR will seek out all your sneakiest moves (even if it couldn’t spot a player wrestling Maguire to the ground). 

Wide players rule the roost

Luke Shaw and Bukayo Saka were constant thorns in the side of Iran. Even with the extra defender, Iran were struggling to come to terms with them. 

The difficulty for Iran defending Shaw was that Sterling was coming inside, vacating that space and causing them a problem with the extra player. 

Shaw thrived in that space, but his crossing was also exemplary.The weight of the ball for Bellingham’s opener was superb. 

He also provided the corner for the second. What was crucial though was there ability to push the ball past the wing back and get in behind Iran. 

It’s not always easy to get width against a back five.But England spread the ball wide time and time again – and it meant Iran couldn’t stay compact. And because England’s crossing was so good, they couldn’t cope.

Harry Kane: Assist king

No goals, no shots on target, subbed off.Must be crisis time for Harry Kane. But there is so much more to Kane than the goals. 

The cameo of hold-up play before setting up Sterling for the third, was a delight. And it was a pure Gazball, as we’re now calling Gareth’s tactical plan: Jordan Pickford excellent delivery from the back, into Saka and Kane on to Bellingham, who released Kane. 

It’s one of those moments were he shields the ball, you think nothing is on and then he simply pushes it a metre on, goes and has created the opening, this time cross for Sterling to score his first World Cup goal. 

Then there was take down from the long ball on 72 minutes superbly executed before playing in Marcus Rashford for his first touch.Rashford scored with his second for 5-1. Kane was integral to this win, even if another Golden Boot seems a little way off tonight.

It’s like watching Brazil

Remember when England couldn’t score from open play?Naturally there will be tougher tests than this. 

But the opener – which is always the toughest goal to score, when a defensive opposition are fresh, in shape and motivated at 0-0, was a classic of what Southgate would want: Harry Maguire driving the ball out from the back, into Mason Mount, who played the No10 role perfectly with his little flick off to Sterling. That’s exactly why he’s there. 

There was still much more to do, Sterling finding Shaw, the cross and the Bellingham header. 

Yet those little moments, when you surprise the opposition and move them around, have eluded England in the Nations League and didn’t always come easily in Russia or the group stages in the Euros.Now they need it against the bigger teams.

Squad dynamics

One of the hardest tasks is keeping everyone happy in tour – but with the opportunity to rotate and use 16 of his 26-man squad will have pleased Southgate, an unused sub at the 2002 World Cup. 

Jack Grealish and Marcus Rashford will be buzzing with World Cup goal and Callum Wilson, selflessly squaring for Grealish will feel a big part of the win. 

Realistically the two keepers won’t play, so Southgate only needs to get eight more players on the pitch in the next two games to bond his side together and ensure everyone feels involved. 

Jude Bellingham looked every inch the players we think he is and Saka was man of the match.A young team will feel this was the perfect opener, marred only by the two goals conceded.