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Attendance: 39,800
England national football team
World Cup | Group Stage
Jun 14, 2014 at 11pm UK
 
Italy national football team

1-2

Sturridge (37')
FT(HT: 1-1)
Marchisio (35'), Balotelli (50')

Alan Hansen: 'England miss Ashley Cole at World Cup'

Alan Hansen believes that England are missing Ashley Cole following their defeat to Italy in the World Cup on Saturday.

Former Liverpool defender Alan Hansen has suggested that England are struggling with the absence of Ashley Cole at the World Cup.

The Chelsea left-back, who is out of contract, retired from international duty last month after manager Roy Hodgson opted to take Luke Shaw as a back-up to Leighton Baines instead.

Following the Three Lions' 2-1 defeat to Italy on Saturday, Hodgson's men were praised for their attacking intent, but Hansen believes that there is a problem defensively.

The Scotsman has highlighted the issues England suffered between Baines and Wayne Rooney, who was placed on the left of midfield for the clash in Manaus.

Hansen wrote in The Telegraph: "Wayne lacks the natural positional sense and defensive discipline required to play the left-sided role on the international stage and, while his effort and work-rate can never be questioned, he did not offer the protection that Leighton Baines needed at left-back. And this is where the absence of Cole exacerbates England's problems on the left side of the pitch."

England will continue their Group D campaign in Brazil with a match against Uruguay on Thursday.

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Wayne Rooney of England reacts during the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Group D match between England and Italy at Arena Amazonia on June 14, 2014
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Group A

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Netherlands Netherlands32107
Q Senegal flag Senegal32016
3 Ecuador flag Ecuador31114
4 Qatar Qatar30030

Group B

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Q England flag England32107
Q United States USA31205
3 Iran Iran31023
4 Wales flag Wales30121

Group C

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Q Argentina Argentina32016
Q Poland Poland31114
3 Mexico Mexico31114
4 Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia31023

Group D

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Q France France32016
Q Australia Australia32016
3 Tunisia Tunisia31114
4 Denmark Denmark30121

Group E

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Q Japan Japan32016
Q Spain Spain31114
3 Germany Germany31114
4 Costa Rica flag Costa Rica31023

Group F

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Q Morocco Morocco32107
Q Croatia Croatia31205
3 Belgium Belgium31114
4 Canada Canada30030

Group G

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Q Brazil Brazil32016
Q Switzerland Switzerland32016
3 Cameroon flag Cameroon31114
4 Serbia Serbia30121

Group H

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Q Portugal Portugal32016
Q Republic of Korea South Korea31114
3 Uruguay flag Uruguay31114
4 Ghana flag Ghana31023


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