A moment for the English youth at Tottenham Hotspur, Ryan Mason mopping up the loose ball and feeding Townsend outside the penalty area. He sized up the target and struck a cracking right foot shot that left Gianluigi Buffon clasping at air, a finish worthy of influence on any match.
Yet how England arrived here was another matter. The starting line-up so moribund, excitement and ambition only arriving with the second-half substitutions – Ross Barkley and Townsend in particular, with Wayne Rooney moved forward to partner Harry Kane.
Italy are not leading their European Championship qualifying group – Croatia are top – and this was very much an alternative selection by Antonio Conte, but they still had plenty in hand on England for long periods.
A friendly this may have been, but there was little convivial about the way Kane was cleaned out by Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini. He seemed to walk a little gingerly for several minutes after, but eventually shrugged it off. Still, Chiellini had made his point – as his team-mates continued to do for the rest of the half.
It was a quiet one for Kane, although not his fault. The best teams have decided to tackle the problem he presents at source this season, cutting his supply line and starving him of the ball.
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