England registered a commanding 3-0 win over Costa Rica in a friendly clash at Inter&Co Stadium on Wednesday, continuing their fine-tuning ahead of the upcoming World Cup.

Declan Rice opened the scoring early for the Three Lions, while Antony Gordon and Ollie Watkins added two more goals in the second half to complete the victory.

Here are four key takeaways from the encounter.

Thomas Tuchel’s men were in control throughout the match, showing a clear step up from their narrow 1-0 win against New Zealand in the previous outing.

England dominated possession, carved out five major chances, and recorded 28 shots on goal. In contrast, Costa Rica managed just a single attempt, highlighting England’s superiority across the pitch.

The midfield duo of Rice and Elliot Anderson once again impressed in Tuchel’s two-man engine room.

Anderson stood out particularly in the first half, contributing effectively both in and out of possession. He appeared unfazed despite the ongoing speculation about his future at Nottingham Forest.

Rice was similarly outstanding, providing creativity and pushing forward into advanced areas—one of which resulted in his goal.

Tuchel has publicly urged Jude Bellingham to fight for a regular starting place, with the Real Madrid midfielder competing alongside Morgan Rogers for the number ten position.

Bellingham made a strong case for inclusion, setting up a major chance for Noni Madueke in the opening half and playing a central role in the sequence leading to England’s second goal. His link-up play with Harry Kane and Anderson was particularly impressive.

Antony Gordon caused constant problems for the Costa Rican backline before being taken off, strengthening his claim to start ahead of Marcus Rashford in the upcoming fixture against Croatia.

The winger’s sharp play contributed to the opening goal, and he confidently converted his penalty. No player carried the ball more frequently than the new Barcelona signing, underlining his influence throughout the contest.