Cautious England draw the boo-boys as fears of another false dawn loom 

This was, to put bluntly, a Friday night spoiled.

FALSE DAWN? England's Harry Kane gestures during the World Cup group B soccer match between England and The United States. Pic: AP Photo/Luca Bruno

The desert heat can do strange things, and many of us who have been in Qatar for over a week now were wondering if the sun was getting to us. Had we seen a mirage on Monday when Gareth Southgate's vibrant young side went out and blew Iran away, romping to a 3-0 lead by half-time and finishing with six goals in a cohesive attacking display?

The way they started against the USA, who are ranked 16th in the world, suggested Southgate's pre-match team-talk had painted the impression his team were up against Brazil, so cautious were they.