England win as three players score first international goals

Encouraging display for least experienced Three Lions team in 44 years

England's Conor Coady celebrates scoring their second goal. Reuters

Three England players scored their first international goals to give Gareth Southgate's experimental team a comfortable 3-0 win over Wales in a friendly at Wembley Stadium on Thursday.

In-form Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin opened the scoring in the 26th minute, before second-half goals from Conor Coady and Danny Ings secured the win in the warm-up for Nations League matches against Belgium and Denmark.

Aston Villa's Jack Grealish, in his first start for his country, set up the opening goal with a perfect cross from the right that was met by debutant Calvert-Lewin with a trademark header.

Right back Kieran Trippier, captaining the England side, provided the ammunition for the second, whipping in a brilliant free kick from the right, which was poked home at the back post by Wolves defender Coady.

It was another set piece that led to the third, with Tyrone Mings rising to head a corner back across the penalty area and Ings volleying home with an overhead kick.

With Tammy Abraham, Ben Chilwell and Jadon Sancho missing after their Covid-19 breach and a squad packed with players who have already featured heavily for their clubs, Southgate turned to his understudies before England's matches against Belgium on Sunday and Denmark on Wednesday.

It was an encouraging display for the England manager as the least experienced Three Lions team in 44 years, with a total of 54 caps, gave him food for thought.

Grealish was a lively presence and was denied a goal by two saves from Hennessey.

Arsenal teenager Bukayo Saka lined up at left wing-back and gradually grew into the game, while Nick Pope replaced error-prone Jordan Pickford in goal for a composed display.

Wales, without Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey, were beaten for the first time in nine games from June 2019.

Ryan Giggs's Wales team travel to play Ireland and Bulgaria in the Nations League.