England thrashed Iran 6-2 in their World Cup opener on Monday, with two goals from Bukayo Saka and goals from Jude Bellingham and Raheem Sterling, before substitutes Marcus Rashford and Jack Grealish completed the rout.
England came close to taking the lead in the Group B opener, with Harry Maguire heading against the crossbar, before Bellingham steered in a header from Luke Shaw cross in the 35th minute.
England doubled their lead eight minutes later when Maguire climbed highest from a corner and headed down for Saka to score.
Sterling headed in captain Harry Kane’s cross in first-half stoppage time before Saka broke Iran’s defense and made it 4-0 in the 62nd minute. Iran’s Mehdi Taremi closed the gap three minutes later, but Rashford made it 5-1 and Grealish, who also came off the bench, scored England’s sixth.
In the final minuites, Taremi scored a consolation second goal for Iran from the penalty spot.
