England 0 Costa Rica 0: Bore draw before England go home

This World Cup has already thrown up many thrilling games and great goals. Sadly, this encounter provided neither.

England didn’t finish with three straight defeats but flying home after a frustrating goalless draw will barely alter the mood of despair.

It was an afternoon when they were in the depressing position of knowing their World Cup would go no further whatever happened.

No drama, no unforgettable memories, another wasted campaign.

So, while the elite countries will battle it out to be crowned World Champions in Rio de Janeiro on July 13, English players will be on the beach.

Roy Hodgson had rung the changes from the starting line-up for the defeats against Italy and Uruguay that had already eliminated them, with only Gary Cahill and Daniel Sturridge retained.

That meant that every outfield member of the 23-man squad, apart from the injured Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, was given a game.

The FA had confirmed that they have no thoughts of replacing Hodgson despite the group-stage failure, so in effect this was the start of preparations for Euro 2016.

Costa Rica had no such worries. They were supposed to allow the other three teams in Group D to rack up three points, but shock wins over Uruguay and Italy had seen them qualify for the last-16 with a game to spare.

A draw would guarantee top spot and 90 minutes later, it was mission accomplished.

They almost made the ideal start when Joel Campbell took aim inside the opening two minutes, and his shot took a massive deflection off Cahill and left Ben Foster rooted to the spot but went the wrong side of the post.

Sturridge tried to give England a lift with a fine curling shot from just outside the area but his effort also went past the upright.

But it required an excellent save from Foster to keep the scores level, as his crucial finger-tip turned Celso Borges’ free-kick onto the bar.

Sturridge was again in the thick of the action when he looked certain to score just six yards out, and went down under a challenge from Oscar Duarte but the Algerian referee was unmoved.

The Liverpool striker had another chance when Phil Jones headed a corner back to him, but he could only guide his header over the bar.

Ross Barkley attempted to put his imprint on proceedings as he neatly made space for a shot, but sadly that didn’t match the approach work as he slashed it well off target on his left foot.

Just before the interval, the English back four almost had a repeat of the nightmarish defending for Luis Suarez’s winner last Thursday, when goalkeeper Keylor Navas’ long kick reached Randall Brenes through on goal. Luckily, he isn’t in Suarez’s class and the chance came to nothing.

England wanted a rousing second period to finish on an upbeat note and Sturridge had a chance within moments of the restart.

Luke Shaw’s shot ricocheted into his path, but highly-rated goalkeeper Keylor Navas was quickly off his line to snuff out any danger.

Navas gave another example of his reputation when he dived out well to intercept a ball by Adam Lallana that would have given Sturridge a tap-in.

England then produced their best piece of football with Sturridge and Jack Wilshere cutting open the Costa Rican defence with an incisive one-two, but Sturridge slipped his shot wide when he really should have scored.

It was one of Wilshere’s final acts before he was withdrawn in favour of Steven Gerrard. Whether this was the England captain’s last international appearance, only he knows.

Wayne Rooney was also thrown on and he forced Navas into another save with a clever chip from the edge of the box.

But it was to be the last chance as the game petered out, with England heading home bottom of the group and with a strong sense of regret.

England (4-2-3-1): Foster; Johnson, Smalling, Jones, Shaw; Lampard, Wilshere (Gerrard 73); Milner (Rooney 76), Barkley, Lallana (Sterling 62); Sturridge.

Costa Rica (5-3-1-1): Navas; Gamboa, Duarte, Gonzalez, Miller, Diaz; Ruiz, Borges (Barrantes 78), Tejeda; Brenes (Bolanos 59); Campbell (Urena 65).

Referee: D. Haimoudi (Algeria)