Tuchel promises to improve the game of the England national team in the playoffs

The head coach of the England national team, Thomas Tuchel, has assured the fans that his team will significantly improve their performance in the relegation matches. The announcement came after they topped Group L on Saturday at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. England struggled badly to create chances in a frankly lackluster first half, managing just two shots on target. Tuchel immediately made five changes in the starting line-up, trying to refresh the team's game. Although Marcus Rashford looked bright on his first appearance from the opening minutes, England needed a standard to open the scoring with Jude Bellingham closing in on Bukayo Saka's corner in the 62nd minute. Harry Kane later scored the second goal to set up the final score. When asked by reporters whether open football would suit his team better in the play-offs than tight matches against opponents such as Panama and Ghana (whom England have played), Tuchel recalled the emphatic victory over Croatia in the first round. "I think so. The first match was almost like a playoff match in terms of its intensity in the second half. The tension suddenly increased in the match against Croatia. And today, when you see the results and suddenly find yourself second in the group because Croatia scored against Gani, it also causes similar feelings," the coach said. The German specialist emphasized that he fully trusts his wards and their experience: "It's good to see moments like this. We can trust our players and rely on them, they are used to high pressure. They play in the Champions League and the Europa League until the very end and they usually face it. They have a strong belief. We know what we need to get better and we will get better. There is no problem in adding as the tournament progresses with difficult opponents. Each game will be different... The most important thing is not to be afraid, be brave, courageous and go step by step. And we are ready for that," the German specialist emphasized. England left the MetLife Stadium without knowing their next opponent. However, later on Wednesday it became known that in the 1/16 finals, the team of the Democratic Republic of Congo is waiting for them. "We wanted to win the group. Nothing can replace victory and we feel it again. We have three days to prepare for the match in Atlanta. The tournament starts all over again. We had the first section in the training camp, then the second section in the group, and now the third is coming," concluded Thomas Tuchel.