England began Group C play in the 2022 World Cup with an incredible 6-2 rout over Iran on Monday, but the massive victory provided a big scare for both the side and their supporters. Tottenham Hotspur and England Captain Harry Kane was subbed off, after 76 minutes, with a heavy knock on his ankle.
After Kane left the pitch, he was seen hobbling to the team bus, with his ankle in strapping. The pain and discomfort seems to have originated from a 48′ incident, which saw Iran defender Morteza Pouraliganji receive a booking after committing a sliding tackle on him.
Given Kane’s recent injury history with his ankles, this situation obviously raised some concern, especially since the skipper was seen wincing in pain on the ground, following his feet getting tangled with his opponent. However, England manager Gareth Southgate maintains that Harry Kane is fine, and that this is nothing to be alarmed about.
Additionally, The Sun report that Kane will be assessed over the course of the next two days but that Three Lions really do not have any serious worries about the fitness of their talisman. While Harry Kane did not score today, obviously a lot of of his teammates did.
Bukayo Saka bagged a brace while Jack Grealish, Raheem Sterling, Marcus Rashford and World Cup debutant Jude Bellingham all scored as well. In other word, it was absolute rout, on many levels.
England will next take on the United States on Friday, followed by a clash against Wales next Tuesday, which will then complete group stage play.
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Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Bank (TheSportsBank.Net) and author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” as well as “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune, and he co-hosts the After Extra Time podcast, part of Edge of the Crowd Network. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.