The Three Lions manager watched his side control the majority of their final group match against Costa Rica, with Daniel Sturridge going close several times, but ultimately fail to make a breakthrough.
Costa Rica 0-0 England
2014 FIFA World Cup
Group D
Estadio Mineirao, Belo Horizonte
Tuesday 24 June 2014
Following the final whistle, Hodgson said: “We showed today what a good team we can be – we are so disappointed not to finish with a victory but I don’t think I could ask for a much better performance.
“Apart from the first 10 or 12 minutes of the game I thought we dominated it but unfortunately we didn’t take our goal chances. If we had have taken them it would have been a comfortable victory.”
Hodgson decided to field a youthful looking and inexperienced line-up, with Luke Shaw, Ross Barkley and Adam Lallana all starting, and he was impressed by their
Daniel Sturridge has his run on goal checked by Oscar Duarte
performances.
“They all did very well and the whole back four was absolutely excellent too,” said Hodgson. “We restricted a team that beat Italy, Uruguay and topped the group, to almost no chances and [Ben] Foster was very good behind them.
“I thought we dominated, outplayed them in that area, and it is just disappointing we didn’t take them.”
And on the missed chances, Hodgson added that he has no worries in that department when it comes to Sturridge.
“We created the chances, which is important, and Daniel is usually so clinical. I’m not that concerned as I know he will take the chances in the future, the important thing is to keep giving him the opportunity."
