KEIR RADNEDGE at WEMBLEY —- Late call-up Ben White both scored and conceded an equalising penalty in the closing minutes as an experimental team of England reserves were held 1-1 by a resilient Uruguay in the Three Lions’ penultimate home match before flying off towards the World Cup finals.

Arsenal defender White had been summoned at the start of the week because of injury to Ezri Konsa and for the first time since quitting England’s 2022 World Cup set-up for ‘personal reasons’ after a reported falling-out with Gareth Southgate’s coaching staff.

Current manager Thomas Tuchel had named an experimental side to face Uruguay, signalling that the battle for a spot on the final 26-man roster is wide open. His strategy was to hold back his likely preferred team for Tuesday’s Japan match, allowing his busiest players extra rest and recuperation.

Thus his starting line-up featured debuts Manchester City’s James Trafford in goal and Everton’s James Garner in midfield.

In the absence of the injured John Stones, Fikayo Tomori partnered Harry Maguire in defence. Perhaps the most notable selections were going forward with Phil Foden in the No10 role and Dominic Solanke preferred over Dominic Calvert-Lewin to lead the line.

Solanke had a couple of early efforts saved by keeper Fernando Muslera with Agustin Canobbio indulging in two dashes clear on the Uruguayan right only to waste the moments by shooting far too high.

More of England’s hopefuls arrived as the match ran on. Jarrod Bowen replaced injured Noni Madueke in the first half, Adam Wharton arrived at halftime for Jordan Henderson and the later half-dozen included Dominic Calvert-Lewin for Solanke and Carlton Palmer for Foden who had been the victim of a surprisingly unpunished clattering by Araujo.

Calvert-Lewin missed an early opportunity when he was just too late to latch on to an angled free kick however he made amends by supplying the touch to a Palmer corner so White could push the ball over the goal-line in the 81st minute.

Interestingly, White’s name had been booed by a large section of the crowd on the announcements of his arrival as substitute and then as the goalscorer.

Uruguay’s players protested about an obstruction in the penalty box as Palmer delivered his corner but the goal was validated by VAR.

The tables were then turned by the technology in stoppage time. Again White was at the centre of the incident. He clashed with Federico Vinas in the penalty box and German referee Sven Jablonski awarded a penalty after being sent to view the incident on the pitchside monitor. Real Madrid’s Fede Valverde rapped his equalising kick low past the diving Trafford’s right hand.

The teams

England – Trafford – Livramento, Tomori [White 69], Maguire, Spence [Hall 70] – Henderson [Wharton 46], Garner [Mainoo 69] – Madueke [Bowen 38], Foden [Palmer 56], Rashford [Barnes 69] – Solanke [Calvert-Lewin 56].

Uruguay – Muslera – Varela, R Araujo, Olivera [Sanabria 87], Piquerez [imenez 16] – Canobbio [B Rodriguez87], Valverde, Ugarte [E Martinez 87], M Araujo [Pellistri 64] – De Arrascaeta [Nunez 87] – Aguirre [Vinas 64].

Ref – Jablonski [Ger].

####