England vs. Costa Rica: Final score 0-0, Ticos finish top Three Lions bow out with a whimper

England were not able to end their World Cup on a high as they were held by Costa Rica in a drab game.

It was probably the unfancied minnows who had the better chances to win the game, too, but a point sees them incredibly top their Group and England finish last.

Costa Rica started the game the more positive of the sides and almost immediately created an opening through Joel Campbell, who came close to seeing his shot deflected off Gary Cahill and into the net. It was the Central Americans who went the closest to opening the scoring too, with Celso Borges seeing his shot crash off the bar.

Daniel Sturridge’s first-half curling effort was about as close as England got. Despite swapping several names for younger players, England lacked creativity and produced a thoroughly pedestrian performance as Costa Rica kept them at bay with ease.

The second half was not much better, and despite the introduction of Raheem Sterling, Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney, England could muster little to give their fans any hope that the future was going to be a bright one. Sturridge again came the closest after a one-two with Jack Wilshere but once again the Liverpool man’s finishing was lacking for his country.

England were probably in the end done a favour by the huge controversy on the other match, which will distract from a third diabolical performance out of three at the tournament. There were no major defensive errors, but that might be about all you can say about this display. This was tepid.

England: Foster; Jones, Cahill, Smalling, Shaw; Milner (Rooney 76’), Lampard, Wilshere (Gerrard 73’), Barkley, Lallana (Sterling 62’); Sturridge.

Costa Rica: Navas; Gonzalez, Miller, Duarte, Gamboa; Diaz, Tejeda, Borges (Barrantes 78’); Ruiz; Campbell (Urena 65’), Brenes (Bolanos 59’).