England suffer defeat to Japan in final game before naming World Cup squad

England’s final match on home soil before the World Cup ended in a first ever defeat to Asian opposition as Thomas Tuchel’s side stumbled to a somewhat concerning 1-0 loss to Japan.

There were a handful of boos from those left inside what had been a sold-out Wembley Stadium after a largely lifeless display compounded Friday’s stop-start 1-1 draw with physical Uruguay.

Tuesday’s defeat was Tuchel’s second since taking charge at the start of last year and decided by Kaoru Mitoma’s fine first-half finish at the end of a well-worked move started by the Japan star dispossessing Cole Palmer.

This was another experimental side named by the German coach, who again made a swathe of substitutions throughout a friendly that provided more questions than answers, including how to score without Harry Kane.

The skipper sat out the send-off fixture having picked up a knock in training and watched England fail to register a shot on target during a drab first half in which Elliot Anderson saw an effort clip the crossbar.

The Euro 2024 runners-up bossed possession before and after the break but lacked incision, spark and fluidity despite a late push in the last game before Tuchel names his World Cup squad in eight weeks’ time.

Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka and John Stones should be on the plane but were among those to withdraw through injury in the build-up to a game Kane, Jordan Henderson and Jude Bellingham were not risked for.

Marc Guehi captained England for the first time and Phil Foden started as a false nine with Kane absent, with Ben White’s name booed by some after he was handed a start.

Much-changed England struggled to get going and Morgan Rogers and Anthony Gordon had shots blocked either side of Guehi seeing efforts thwarted by