How the English media reacted to the Three Lions’ 1-0 win over New Zealand’s All Whites in a World Cup warm-up match.

Lacklustre warm-up victory proved one thing: England are the Harry Kane team

Jason Burt, The Telegraph

Never mind concerns about the pitch, which became trickier as it dried out in the heat after a pre-match soaking. What about concerns about the England team? At the home of the Glazer family’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers NFL team, they were far from buccaneering.

Is that expecting too much? Probably, and certainly too much can be read into such fixtures: glorified training matches rather than full friendlies and certainly not intense World Cup ties. But equally, how you go into these tournaments, and the momentum you show, matter.

As recently as Euro 2024, England arrived on the back of a poor 1-0 defeat to Iceland at Wembley and while they made the final, it set the tone for a grim campaign. Famously, before the World Cup in 2010, they laboured against the semi-professional South African side the Platinum All-Stars.

And we saw how that unfolded. Similarly in 2014, back here in Florida, it was far from good in bore draws against Ecuador and Honduras. And England fared even worse.

At least they were more credible opposition than New Zealand, who were beaten 4-0 by Haiti, the third-lowest-ranked nation at the World Cup, in Fort Lauderdale on Tuesday [Wednesday NZT].

While England dominated, their opponents were not over-run.

One-nil against New Zealand is, frankly, quite an embarrassing result, even with all the changes.

England's Jude Bellingham and All Whites defender Tim Payne compete for the ball in their World Cup warm-up match. Photo / Photosport

England did not inspire. England did not excite. So they surely must buck up their ideas when they face Costa Rica in Orlando on Wednesday [Thursday NZT], when the squad will be at full strength with the Arsenal players integrated.

Tuchel examines options

Phil McNulty, BBC

[England head coach Thomas] Tuchel was not going to be taking too many risks in what effectively turned into a glorified training session in the baking Florida heat.

Instead, this was about giving his World Cup squad minutes as they become familiar with the testing conditions in the United States, with drinks breaks coming midway through each half, as they will in the tournament itself.

The serious action starts against Croatia.

England tepid in World Cup warm-up

Richard Jolly, The Independent

If Tuchel’s plan was to put the warm into the World Cup warm-up, England’s performance was more tepid than sizzling. Perhaps that was inevitable, though, with [the] combination of the climate, the fatigue resulting from an exhausting club season and the general ennui of international friendlies, even those five days before a tournament begins. It was scarcely played with Premier League intensity; but then, few England matches are.

Arguably, though, it was a second England match of the day against New Zealand that was affected by the weather, though they had a different kind of hydration break at Lord’s. The football had more play, though it is a moot point if that was a good thing.

England's Rio Ngumoha makes a pass under pressure from New Zealand's Ben Old. Photo / Photosport

‘A glorified training game’

David Hynter, The Guardian

It was a glorified training game, mainly about acclimatisation for Thomas Tuchel’s England players; unsexy stuff like the right amount of loading, reconnecting with the manager’s principles. But the win was good, too, and it was welcome after the stodge of the March internationals, which had seen the draw against Uruguay and the loss to Japan.

With the temperature peaking at 33C and the humidity at about 40%, Tuchel played different teams in each half and both were too good for New Zealand, who will be the lowest-ranked team at the World Cup.

Tuchel would have wanted a greater margin of victory, especially after New Zealand’s 4-0 defeat against Haiti on Tuesday [Wednesday NZT]. But it was a useful exercise overall and, in the end, one goal was enough. It came from the player who can always be counted upon – in rain or blazing sunshine.

The best news for England

Oliver Holt, Daily Mail

If this game represented anything, it represented the beginning of hope. Because however much we try to quell it, the hope always takes hold. There are 11 days until England’s opening game of the World Cup against Croatia in Dallas but there is enough talent in this squad to let the hope flourish and to clutch at the tentative signs of encouragement on view here.

Harry Kane played, Harry Kane scored and Harry Kane was not injured. That was the best news because without Kane, there probably is no hope. Him staying healthy was more important than him scoring the 79th goal of his England career in his 113th appearance.

Other small victories? Well, England survived the pitch at the stadium the locals call the Ray-Jay. It was supposed to be full of potholes and pitfalls but England negotiated them without alarm.