England and Scotland faced each other in a high-profile friendly that was a throwback to the yesterday matches.
It finished as a 3-1 win for the English and it gives them a lot of confidence on the back of recent results. England were very much criticised after a disappointing World Cup 2014 in which they were knocked out at the group stages. Since then, the team has undergone several changes, both forced and involuntary, due to the retirement of important players and the emergence of talented youngsters.
After managing to win all of their Euro 2016 qualifying matches up until now, England took on Scotland in this friendly. Wayne Rooney moved closer to the all-time national team record by scoring two goals, while Arsenal winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain opened scoring early in the first half. Scotland were expected to put a great fight in the encounter due to the recent form, but the goal from Robertson late in the second half only proved to be a consolation. Scotland manager Gordon Strachan said after the match that his players may have been taken aback little due to the intensity with which England played especially in the first half.
Hodgson was a pleased man after the match. He now can prepare his team for the next round of international matches that take place only in March.”We’re disappointed, at the end of the year, to finish it with defeat.There could be a couple of things that made that happen.One was definitely an England side that were determined and as intense as I have seen them for a long time.I think that goes down a lot to what they might have thought happened if they didn’t do that.I think we’ve got to say well done to England. That’s a team full of Champions League players,” said Gordon Strachan.