Chelsea defender Reece James appeared in a World Cup warm-up match for England as they secured a 1-0 win over New Zealand in the United States.
England’s World Cup preparations kicked off with a hard-fought 1–0 victory over New Zealand in the United States, which saw Chelsea defender Reece James play 45 minutes.
Operating at right-back under Thomas Tuchel, the Chelsea captain looked sharp, cool and collected in possession. He looked defensively sound, but much of the attacking on the right-hand side was done by Rio Ngumoha, with James playing more of a supporting role.
However, the one positive was the fact that James came through unscathed in a game that was played on a rather troublesome-looking pitch.
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Reece James praised for his England display vs New Zealand
The national media liked what they saw from Reece James.
Evening Standard – Reece James 7: A step up from Quansah, and the Three Lions showed a marked improvement as soon as he stepped onto the pitch. His willingness to invert and create numerical overloads in central areas, as well as his athleticism with and without the ball, make him such an asset.
Express – Reece James 6: Was the designated set-piece taker but deliveries didn’t amount to much and fired one free-kick straight into the chest of Marko Stamenic. Not really able to get forward and showcase his ability on the ball as much as he’d have liked.
Sporting News – Reece James – 6: Limited impact going forward until injury time, when he played a fine cross to Ivan Toney, although the striker was offside anyway.
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Reece James’ stats for England against New Zealand
Reece James had 48 touches, a passing accuracy percentage of 89, made seven passes into the final third, one of five crosses complete, one tackle, clearance and won two out of four duels.
His performance will fill Tuchel with plenty of confidence, and you would think that when the competition kicks off he’ll be in the starting role, should he avoid any injuries.
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