By Martyn Herman
DOHA (Reuters) – England captain Harry Kane has been given the all clear to face the United States in England’s World Cup Group B clash in Al Khor on Friday after shaking off an ankle knock, manager Gareth Southgate confirmed.
Kane took a blow to his ankle just before halftime in England’s opening 6-2 win over Iran on Monday and was substituted late in the second half.
He had scans on Wednesday but Southgate said there was no serious damage and the striker was fit to face the Americans.
“He’s good. He’s worked a little bit more individually today, but he’ll be back in with the team tomorrow and all good for the game,” Southgate told ITV in an interview.
“We just checked him out just to see. I think, sometimes, when you’re treating things, it’s important to know exactly what is there and that was all good.
“It’s not so much the ankle, it’s more the foot. It was a poor challenge, really, but I think it’s one that, fortunately, we’ve got away with reasonably lightly.”
Kane has scored 51 goals for England and needs just two more to equal Wayne Rooney’s all-time record so his absence would have been a major blow to their chances in Qatar.
“I was (holding my breath) when he went down on the pitch, but once he’d carried on playing, everything has been good,” said Southgate, whose side will qualify for the last 16 with a game to spare if they beat the United States.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
