Micah Richards has accused England of complacency and a lack of organization during their World Cup Round of 32 tie against DR Congo. Thomas Tuchel's side conceded an early goal and went into halftime trailing 1-0.
Brian Cipenga opened the scoring for the underdog DR Congo in the seventh minute, finding the bottom corner past goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. Richards, a former England defender, described the defending on the goal as "poor," citing issues with player positioning and communication.
"I don't know what they're trying to do. There's no press, no communication, no organisation," Richards stated. "It's really frustrating watching England play like this because they have got so much more to offer. They turned up expecting to win the game."
England attempted to find an equalizer and had a penalty appeal for a foul on captain Harry Kane turned down by the referee. Richards expressed confusion over the team's performance, noting that DR Congo found it "so easy" to penetrate England's lines.
Former England striker Wayne Rooney echoed these sentiments, describing England's first 30 minutes as "very poor." He noted a lack of intensity and sloppiness in possession, allowing DR Congo to control the game comfortably.
Regarding the penalty incident involving Harry Kane, Rooney sided with the referee's decision, suggesting that Kane may have tripped himself and initiated contact with the goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi. "Yes, there is contact, but I think it's probably the right decision," Rooney commented.
