England's men played out a 1-1 draw against Japan in an international friendly on Tuesday night. Bukayo Saka opened the scoring for the hosts in the first half after converting a cross from Jude Bellingham. However, Japan equalised late in the match through Takumi Minamino, who beat goalkeeper Jordan Pickford with a low strike, according to Sky Sports.
Manager Gareth Southgate handed a first start to Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, who operated in a central role alongside Declan Rice. In defence, John Stones and Harry Maguire started as the centre-back pairing.
The match served as a final preparation fixture before Southgate names his provisional squad for the upcoming European Championships. Per The Guardian, several players used the opportunity to stake their claims for a starting place in the tournament opener. Phil Foden and Harry Kane both featured as second-half substitutes as England sought a winning goal. The result follows a 1-0 defeat to Brazil earlier in the international break, as reported by Reuters.
