World Cup: Hodgson proud despite England finishing bottom
COSTA RICA 0 ENGLAND 0
ENGLAND manager Roy Hodgson believes yesterday’s performance against Costa Rica will send the travelling fans home happy from Brazil, despite the team finishing bottom of Group D.
Striker Daniel Sturridge, one of only two players retained from successive defeats, wasted golden opportunities to win the game, but Hodgson was content with his much-changed team’s final act at the World Cup.
“I am pleased at least to have given the fans something to cheer about,” he said.“We showed what a good team we can be. We are disappointed not to finish with a victory, but I don’t think I could have asked for a much better performance.”
Costa Rica – already into the last 16 following wins over Uruguay and Italy – went closest in the opening period when goalkeeper Ben Foster tipped Celso Borges’s free-kick onto the crossbar.
Sturridge dragged a shot wide and then curled an effort narrowly off target after exchanging passes with midfielder James Milner. Frank Lampard earned his 114th and likely last international cap.