England eased to a 3–0 win over Costa Rica on Wednesday, despite an hour’s delay to kick-off in Orlando.A biblical downpour stopped Thomas Tuchel’s strong-looking lineup taking to the field at the Inter&Co Stadium on time, but it did not seem to effect performance levels, as the Three Lions completed their pre-tournament preparations in some comfort.Declan Rice gave England an early lead, while Anthony Gordon got on the scoresheet from the penalty spot midway through the second half. Ollie Watkins made it three late on by reacting fast to a parried shot in the box.This was not a stern test by any metric and England dominated the ball in Orlando with a whopping 79% possession and took 29 shots, conceding only one in return (off target). Still, the routine nature of the win will give Tuchel—and expectant England fans—comfort ahead of the their World Cup opener against Croatia on Wednesday, June 17.For the lineup watchers, it was hard not to read the team that started as Tuchel’s preferred XI—with one or two exceptions. Importantly, there were no knocks or fitness concerns on the day that would add reason to worry ahead of next week.Here are four takeaways from England’s final warmup game ahead of the World Cup.Gordon’s AliveGORDON CONVERTS FROM THE SPOT 🚀 pic.twitter.com/y3hn4PHpub— Inter&Co Stadium (@InterCo_Stadium) June 10, 2026One of the big questions regarding England’s best XI in recent months has been left wing, with Gordon competing with Marcus Rashford for the spot out wide.Gordon, who appears to have replaced his international teammate at Barcelona following his recent transfer, seems to have the upper hand with England now too.The 25-year-old was a bustling, busy presence down the flank in Orlando, offering the kind of attacking drive England have regularly lacked in tournaments. Granted, he will face tougher obstacles than Costa Rica’s Shawn Johnson, but his overall display—which include a fine assist for Rice and a smacked penalty—was encouraging.The former Newcastle star connects well with those around him and offers more in the press than Rashford.The heat and extra games at this tournament will dictate that multiple options will be required but Gordon does now appear to be the leading contender to start against Croatia.Right-Side IssuesMadueke spurned a glorious chance to get on the scoresheet. | Richard Pelham/Getty ImagesWhile Gordon made his case for the left wing, England look less sure of themselves down the right.Tuchel omitting Jarrod Bowen from his final 26 leaves Bukayo Saka and Noni Madueke as his only natural fits for the role. That situation is complicated by the fact that Saka, who played only 25 minutes against Costa Rica, is recovering from an Achilles injury.Speaking before the match, Tuchel told reporters: “We still have to take a little bit of care for Bukayo [Saka] who had an injury in March and carried it through the club campaign. He made himself available at the end of the season and did so brilliantly, but he was managed in between matches. That continues a bit at the moment - we are building him up.”In Saka’s absence, Madueke missed a glorious chance in the first half, after rolling the ball around goalkeeper Patrick Sequeira only to hit the post with the goal gaping.Saka’s Arsenal understudy is a willing runner in an England shirt and is clearly trusted by Tuchel, but Wednesday’s performance showed again that he is a far more limited option.Bellingham Stakes His ClaimBellingham made his mark in the No.10 role. | Eddie Keogh - The FA/The FA via Getty ImagesPerhaps the biggest question mark over England team selection ahead of the tournament comes in the No.10 position, with Jude Bellingham seemingly battling Morgan Rogers to start.Tuchel has refrained from comitting to either player, with both likely to play a big role this summer. However, it was Bellingham who started—and shone—against Costa Rica.The Real Madrid star has not enjoyed the best season for club or country but looked closer to his old self in Orlando, snapping into tackles, setting the tempo and linking up well with Harry Kane.Bellingham also set up the Madueke chance that should’ve resulted in a goal and laid on the pass for substitute Eberechi Eze whose shot hit the arm of Joseth Peraza resulting in a penalty.Rogers, meanwhile, was only afforded a 25-minute cameo and was guilty of one big missed chance.Prepare for the Unexpected The gates are open, but the seating bowl remains closed due to inclement weather ahead of today’s @England vs. @laselecrc_ match. Fans currently inside the stadium are asked to seek shelter in the concourse.Updates will be provided as they become available. pic.twitter.com/da2BhdVx87— Inter&Co Stadium (@InterCo_Stadium) June 10, 2026While the opposition didn’t offer much resistance, the weather did.The two teams were made to wait an hour for kick-off amid a flash storm. A pitch inspection was carried out and ​the match rescheduled “subject to there being ‌no ⁠further lightning strikes in the area,” England's X account said.Inter&Co Stadium eventually announced it was ​safe ⁠for fans to return to their seats after previously instructing them to "seek shelter" from the rain and lightning. In the end, the match kicked off ​at 5 p.m. local time in temperatures of around 87°F (31°C ), with blue skies for most of the match.Coping with the heat and humidity has been talked up as a difference-making factor for contenders this summer. England showed they can still function at a decent tempo in these conditions, but getting used to climate-enforced delays may come in handy later on too.READ THE LATEST WORLD CUP NEWS, ANALYSIS AND INSIGHT FROM SI FCAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow