Jesse Lingard's Goal Gives England 1-0 Win Over Netherlands

AMSTERDAM (AP) — Jesse Lingard scored his first international goal as England beat the Netherlands 1-0 Friday in a friendly that proved Gareth Southgate's team can win without striker Harry Kane. Lingard opened his England account in his ninth international, firing low into the corner past the despairing dive of Jeroen Zoet in the 59th minute after a cross from the left had rebounded to him off a Dutch defender. It was a deserved victory for England, which looked quicker and more dangerous than the Dutch going forward, even without injured captain Kane, and solid at the back. The match at the Amsterdam Arena was a World Cup tune-up for England, while it marked the start of a rebuilding process for new Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman, who took over the reins after the Dutch failed to qualify for the tournament in Russia. While the Netherlands was largely impotent in front of goal, Southgate showed his squad's strength when he was able to replace Lingard, Raheem Sterling and Marcus Rashford midway through the second half with Dele Alli, Danny Welbeck and Jamie Vardy. England plays Italy on Tuesday at Wembley in its last friendly before Southgate names his World Cup squad. With Kane missing, Liverpool midfielder Jordan Henderson led his team, while his club teammate Virgil van Dijk wore the Dutch captain's armband for the first time in his international career. Southgate's starting forward lineup of Sterling and Manchester United teammates Lingard and Rashford had only four goals between them in their previous internationals and they rarely threatened to add to that tally before the break despite Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's strong runs from midfield. England suffered an early setback when Liverpool defender Joe Gomez limped off with a left ankle injury after just five minutes. Henderson came closest to opening England's account before the break when his flicked header from a Kieran Trippier free kick drifted just wide of Zoet's far post in the 32nd minute.Read more on NewsOK.com