England ensured a winning send-off to the 2018 World Cup this evening courtesy of a 2-0 victory over Costa Rica at Elland Road.
Marcus Rashford put in a man-of-the-match display to thrust himself into contention for a starting role in the World Cup opener, and he broke the deadlock with a stunning strike after just 13 minutes.
England dominated the vast majority of the match, but had to wait until 14 minutes from time to double their advantage when Danny Welbeck met Dele Alli's cross with a diving header which went in off the post.
Find out how all of the action unfolded courtesy of Sports Mole's live minute-by-minute coverage below.
It is not often the national team gets to play up North, and the stakes will be even higher than usual tonight considering it will be their final piece of action before the beginning of their World Cup campaign. Costa Rica will be in Russia this summer too, so this one is a big game for both teams.
Let's start by looking at the team news...
John Stones is the only player to keep his place in the starting lineup from the win over Nigeria, with Southgate making 10 changes in total for today's match ensuring that he gets a good look at all of his players before the tournament gets underway.
One player who doesn't get a run-out from the start of Burnley's Nick Pope, although the keeper is expected to make his England debut at some point tonight.
Alexander-Arnold's first England outing caps off a stunning breakthrough season in which he established himself as Liverpool first-choice right-back and helped the team to the Champions League final, and the youngster now has one final chance to impress Southgate enough to earn a starting spot for the opening game of the World Cup.
The midfield trio is an interesting one too, with Jordan Henderson coming into the team after being rested for the Nigeria game following his Champions League final exploits. Alongside him are Fabian Delph - who featured at left-back for mist of the season at Man City - and Loftus-Cheek, who many will not have expected to have been in the squad at the start of this season.
As for how many of the rest of tonight's starting lineup will also begin the game against Tunisia, you would probably say around three tops - Stones, Henderson and Rose.
Campbell was the star of the show against Northern Ireland and scored during Costa Rica's 3-0 win in their last outing, but he has barely been given a chance for the Gunners and spent last season on loan at Real Betis. He may have a point to prove to some English fans here.
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The most experience of the lot are Celso Borges and Bryan Ruiz, both of whom boast 109 appearances for their country, although Borges will temporarily take over Ruiz in the pecking order tonight having been named in the starting lineup, while Ruiz only makes the bench.
The wide man missed the Northern Ireland match through injury, but is back amongst the subs tonight alongside fellow fitness doubt Christian Bolanos. Also on that bench is Yeltsin Tejeda, who could win his 50th appearance for Costa Rica tonight.
Elsewhere, many of the England players will be familiar with Sunderland's Bryan Oviedo and Celtic's Christian Gamboa.
Gareth Southgate's side will, of course, be the favourites to pick up the victory here, but there are still a number of questions that need answering about their team if they are to achieve anything of note at this summer's tournament.
Southgate may not have been in charge for England's worst World Cup showing since 1958, but he will be eager to atone for that this summer, and could even make an early start with victory over Costa Rica, who topped that group in 2014.
There were plenty of positives for England to take from that match - particularly their confident, free-flowing football in the first half, but they were unable to adapt when Nigeria changed their formation and allowed the Africans back into the game before holding on for the win.
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It is a group England really should have enough to qualify from, but Tunisia in particular may pose a stiffer test than many expect.
Defensively the Three Lions have been particularly strong, conceding only two goals in their last seven outings, with Iwobi's strike for Nigeria on Saturday the only one of those to come from open play.
Indeed, the nation was rocked when Sam Allardyce was forced to step down from his post after just one game. Southgate initially took over on a trial period, but he is still there now and is looking for his 10th win from 18 games as England boss tonight.
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England are, however, unbeaten in their last five of those, and have not lost on home soil since March 2013 - 13 matches ago.
Costa Rica's first such warm-up game was also against a home nation, though, as they made light work of Northern Ireland in San Jose on Sunday, running out fairly easy 3-0 winners.
The run was made even more remarkable considering the fact that they were not given a chance of evening getting into the knockout rounds, having been drawn in the group of death alongside England, Italy and Uruguay. However, not only did Costa Rica qualify, but they won the group before eventually going out on penalties to Netherlands.
First up in their campaign is a match against Serbia in Samara on June 17, before taking on Brazil and Switzerland in their final two group games. Serbia look like the kindest team on paper, so they will be glad to start their campaign off with that one, but Brazil and Switzerland will be fancied to occupy those top two spots.
However, a 3-0 win over Northern Ireland will have raised expectations once again - particularly as they won the game so comfortably, and it is also worth noting that both of those victories in the last eight games have come this year, and against home nations.
Costa Rica reached the semi-finals of that Gold Coast tournament before crashing out to USA, although they are at this summer's World Cup whereas USA are not.
Oscar Ramirez's side started their qualifying campaign with back-to-back wins - including a 4-0 drubbing of the USA - but despite a run of only two more wins in their next eight they still managed to finish above Panama, Honduras and USA.
Ramirez was originally named as assistant to former Costa Rica striker Paulo Wanchope, but Wanchope got in a fight in Panama just a week ofter his appointment, leading Ramirez to take the reins.
England should have enough to beat Costa Rica today, even accounting for all of their changes. Costa Rica showed against Northern Ireland that they can be dangerous when coming forward, but this is a different proposition altogether and we're backing England to come away with the win.
SPORTS MOLE SAYS: England 2-1 Costa Rica
Defeats to Italy and Uruguay in their opening two World Cup group games four years ago saw England's fate decided before they came up against Costa Rica for match number three, which developed into a meaningless 0-0 draw.
Costa Rica actually hit the bar in that match too so could have easily won again to make it three wins from three in the groups, but England did at least manage to get themselves on the board in Brazil.
For Costa Rica, meanwhile, England may give them an example of how Switzerland will play, although their warm-up games seem a little less thought-out than those of England.
ENGLAND STARTING XI: Butland; Jones, Stones, Maguire; Alexander-Arnold, Henderson, Delph, Loftus-Cheek, Rose; Vardy, Rashford
COSTA RICA STARTING XI: Navas; Gamboa, Waston, Gonzalez, Calvo, Oviedo; Venegas, Guzman, Borges, Campbell; Urena
Skills from @MarcusRashford ⚽️
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 7, 2018
Watch @England v Costa Rica live right now on @ITV pic.twitter.com/LSv7Mp5LUR
Keylor Navas of Real Madrid is the man in goal for Costa Rica tonight, but he cannot get close to this one and Rashford unleashes an unstoppable dipping effort right into the top corner. The United man collects the ball, turns and then just goes for goal, and it is such a good strike that it is almost past Navas before he can react!
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Bang! What a strike from @MarcusRashford! @England lead against Costa Rica!#ENGCRC pic.twitter.com/3aMYymLDPI
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 7, 2018
Here's @MarcusRashford's heat map in the first 15 minutes - he's everywhere! That was his 3rd goal for @England pic.twitter.com/FSJvjwgq14
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 7, 2018
3 - All three of Marcus Rashford's goals for England have come in games he started for the Three Lions (v Australia, Slovakia and Costa Rica). Claim. pic.twitter.com/LqRpVjWVKL
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 7, 2018
Costa Rica keeper @NavasKeylor denies @vardy7 and @England from close range with a fine save!#ENGCRC pic.twitter.com/7fXkxA83ha
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 7, 2018
England have dominated pretty much from the first whistle in this game, with Costa Rica only creating one sight of goal. The hosts should be further ahead in truth, but they can be very happy with their performance so far.
Rashford was allowed the space to turn and shoot, and he took full advantage of that with a stunning shot. The United man has looked full of confidence throughout this match so far and the Costa Rican players look terrified every time he gets the ball.
Maguire had nodded the ball into the path of the Leicester striker, but the ball just didn't fall for him until it was too late. Phil Jones has also hit the crossbar with a looping header, while Loftus-Cheek missed a good opening when he couldn't bring the ball down inside the area.
Butland had been a mere spectator up to the point, but he stayed alert and made a decent save to keep his side in the lead. There has not been much opportunity for him to show why he should start ahead of Pickford.
Great strike from @JHenderson who stings the palms of @fedefutbolcrc keeper @NavasKeylor with a powerful drive from just outside the box!#ENGCRC pic.twitter.com/hFR8UAf3vK
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 7, 2018
Rashford slides an incisive pass into the box for Alli, who in turn looks up and is perhaps trying to pick out the bottom corner himself when he puts the ball into the box. However, Welbeck has stayed onside and launches himself at the ball to send a diving header in off the post.
Another goal for @England.@DannyWelbeck gets the second with a diving header from close range!#ENGCRC pic.twitter.com/18tVAPfOGp
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 7, 2018
34 - Ruben Loftus-Cheek completed every single pass he attempted for England in the game against Costa Rica tonight (34/34). Control. pic.twitter.com/ibuNIDyWBu
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 7, 2018
Marcus Rashford and Danny Welbeck got the goals to fire Gareth Southgate's side past Costa Rica, and a number of the fringe players - Rashofrd in particular - may have played their way into contention for a start against Tunisia on June 18 tonight.
Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for tonight's match as England end their World Cup preparations with a victory over Costa Rica. I will leave you with our match report, and be sure to stick around for reaction too.
From me, though, it is goodbye for now!
