This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost Australia, which closed in 2021.

England Down Socceroos 2-1 In Friendly

A debut strike, veteran forward and own goal enough to seal the victory.
A shaky Socceroos not enough to overcome a strong England frontline.
A shaky Socceroos not enough to overcome a strong England frontline.

It took 135 seconds on his International debut for Manchester United young gun Marcus Rashford to welcome the Socceroos to the Stadium of Light with a goal on Saturday.

A late surge from the Aussies and an own goal from English defensive midfielder Eric Dier was not enough to stop The Three Lions, with veteran Wayne Rooney coming off the bench to score in the 55th minute.

The win saw England exact some revenge for their memorable 3-1 loss to the Socceroos at Upton Park in 2003 and expose a shaky Australian defense in the face of the combination of Rashford and Raheem Sterling.

The opening goal sees Rashford become the third-youngest goal scorer for England behind Michael Owen and team-mate Rooney ahead of this year's European Championship in June.

The Socceroos are now on their way home to face Greece in Friendlies in Sydney on June 4 and in Melbourne on June 7.

Close
This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost Australia. Certain site features have been disabled. If you have questions or concerns, please check our FAQ or contact support@huffpost.com.