LAST UPDATE | 3 Jun
International Friendly Results
- England 3-0 Bosnia
- Gibraltar 0-2 Scotland
*****
TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD capped an impressive individual display with a tremendous volley as England beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 3-0 in Monday’s Euro 2024 warm-up friendly.
Preparations for this summer’s shot at silverware stepped up at St James’ Park as players got a chance to stake their claim for a place on the plane, or even a starting role against Serbia.
Cole Palmer’s spot-kick was followed by an excellent Alexander-Arnold effort and late Harry Kane goal on a night that provides manager Gareth Southgate with plenty of food for thought ahead of Friday’s final squad submission.
Eberechi Eze and Palmer produced positive displays on their first England starts, with the latter opening his international account after Ezri Konsa, another impressive performer, was fouled in the box.
Alexander-Arnold did well on his latest audition in midfield but had reverted to a more familiar right-back role when he scored a superb late volley that substitute Kane added to.
It was a strong end to a largely-unremarkable first ever encounter with Bosnia and Southgate’s attention now turns to Friday’s send-off friendly against Iceland and that night’s final squad selection.
Meanwhile Scotland suffered another Euro 2024 injury scare during a 2-0 warm-up victory over Gibraltar.
Leeds defender Liam Cooper limped off in the second half in Faro to create a further fitness doubt in Steve Clarke’s now 27-man squad.
Second-half goals from Ryan Christie and substitute Che Adams earned Scotland a much-needed win after they missed a series of early chances.
But the departure of half-time substitute Cooper could give Clarke another headache after losing striker Lyndon Dykes to an ankle injury suffered in Friday’s training session.
Having lost Nathan Patterson, Aaron Hickey and Lewis Ferguson before naming his provisional squad, Clarke had four players missing from his match-day squad as they work their way back from injury – Stuart Armstrong, Scott McTominay, Ben Doak and John Souttar.
Scotland’s 58th-minute opener was met by cheers of relief from their fans. Christie eventually worked a shooting chance from Andy Robertson’s deep cross and finished high into the net from six yards.
Adams provided a touch of class when he volleyed home John McGinn’s cross in the 85th minute for their second.
