[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] England's star striker and 'Captain' Harry Kane (29, Tottenham), who had injured his ankle, is expected to safely participate in the second group stage match against the United States.
Gareth Southgate, the manager leading the England national football team, said at a press conference held on the 25th (Korean time) that Kane's condition is "fine."
Kane fell after a tackle by Morteza Pouraliganji in the 3rd minute of the second half during the first Group B match against Iran on the 21st. He complained of pain and was substituted by Callum Wilson in the 30th minute of the second half. England won decisively against Iran with a score of 6-2, but could not fully celebrate due to Kane's injury. After the match, Kane underwent an ankle examination which confirmed there was no major problem.
England aims for early qualification to the round of 16 in the second Group B match against the United States at 4 a.m. on the 26th. Southgate explained, "Kane trained separately, but his condition is good enough to play in the match," adding, "We conducted the examination to confirm that everything is okay."
Kane has scored 51 goals in 76 A-match appearances. If he scores two or more goals in the matches during this World Cup, he will become the all-time top scorer for the England national team. Currently, the top scorer in this category is Wayne Rooney with 53 goals.
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