England Defeat Tunisia

Seven of this starting line-up began the debacle against Iceland at Euro 2016 but it as though Gareth Southgate’s wind of change has scattered those memories into the ether.

Yes, they had to rely on a late Harry Kane header – after Ferjani Sassi’s penalty had cancelled out the England captain’s opener – to seal eventual victory against a conniving Tunisian team but they deserved it.

They have come into this tournament with a refreshing positivity and are playing with a purpose that gives a lie to the idea they are only at the beginning of a journey that will only bring reward in the long-term.
On the eve of this match, Southgate was still dropping in big-picture soundbites.

You know the way it goes. A young team, inexperienced on the international stage, growing up together, all in front of them.

Yet in the next breath, Southgate was reminding us how all of his young players have had to perform on the biggest stages, in FA Cup Finals, in Champions League Finals, in Premier League title deciders.

Southgate can buy himself time with the argument that maturity for this squad is still on the horizon but, deep down, I suspect he knows.

He knows this is a team with enough talent to be going deep into tournaments in the here and now.

Of course, a win stolen late in a very ordinary second half against a very ordinary team should not send hopes shooting up the St George’s flagpole.

But for decent-sized chunks of this opener, Southgate’s vision of England playing boldly, of being unafraid to make mistakes, of expressing themselves, was crystalised.

There will be issues for him to address, one of which – not for the first time – will involve Sterling.

His luminous magnificence for Manchester City last season was hardly replicated here.