World Cup

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Attendance: 33,973

World Cup | Group Stage

Jun 28, 2018 at 7pm UK

England
0-1
Belgium

FT(HT: 0-0)

Januzaj (51')

Dele Alli: 'Belgium loss has not cost England momentum at World Cup'

By Giuseppe Labellarte, Reporter

Published: June 30 2018 | 14:45

Last updated: July 1 2018 | 16:27

Dele Alli plays down suggestions that England's 1-0 defeat to Belgium in their final World Cup Group G game will has cost them momentum in the tournament.

Dele Alli has rejected suggestions that England's 1-0 defeat to Belgium in their final World Cup Group G game has cost them momentum in the tournament.

Manager Gareth Southgate made eight changes for the match in Kaliningrad, with a much-changed Red Devils side securing victory via an Adnan Januzaj winner to top the group.

Ahead of the game, there were suggestions that neither team particularly wanted to finish first as the group winner would face either Brazil or Mexico in the quarter-finals, while the other team would play Sweden or Switzerland.

Others suggested that England should have gone all out to win against Belgium for the sake of keeping the winning run going, the Three Lions having triumphed against Tunisia and Panama, and that defeat to Roberto Martinez's side could have a negative effect in the nation's camp.

"As players we support any decision the manager makes," Alli told reporters at a press conference.

"We've come here with a big squad and everyone is fighting for their place. It was a great opportunity and I think the boys have done well.

"I don't think we lost any momentum. We're all fighting, we're all raring to go and we're all looking forward to the next game."

The defeat in Kaliningrad means that England will play Colombia in the last 16.