LONDON (AFP) - England’s Ollie Watkins marked his international return with a second-half winner as Gareth Southgate’s experimental side labored to a 1-0 friendly win against Australia at a wet Wembley Stadium on Friday.
With a key Euro 2024 qualifier against holders Italy looming on Tuesday, the England manager used the opportunity to rest first team regulars, including captain Harry Kane, and give game time to some younger squad players.
Only three of the starting 11 had more than 10 caps, with 10 changes to the side that beat Scotland 3-1 in England’s last international and Chelsea defender Levi Colwill making his debut.
Watkins, returning for the first time since March 2022, slid the ball in at the far post in the 57th minute after Jack Grealish fired across goal.
It was the Aston Villa forward’s third goal for England and second in successive matches, although 563 days apart.
“It has been a long time coming. I have been waiting a long time for the next call up. I was looking forward to it and I wasn’t going to let this opportunity slip,” Watkins told Channel Four television.
“It was a tough game. A lot of us haven’t played together before. We got the goal and saw it out. There’s obviously a lot to work on.”
Southgate rang the changes after the break against opponents who could easily have been ahead in the first half, with Watkins making way for debutant Eddie Nketiah in the 73rd among a flurry of substitutions.