Ben White Returns For England In 1-1 Draw With Uruguay After Late Penalty

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England’s friendly against Uruguay at Wembley ended 1-1 after late drama, with Ben White scoring and then conceding a decisive penalty on an eventful international return. Federico Valverde converted a 94th-minute spot-kick, cancelling out White’s 81st-minute goal and denying England a win that Thomas Tuchel’s rotated side had struggled to secure.

Arsenal defender White featured for England for the first time since the 2022 World Cup, having chosen to miss the rest of Gareth Southgate’s time in charge. Large parts of the Wembley crowd booed White when introduced as a second-half substitute, and jeers again followed when White appeared to have grabbed a late winning goal.

The defender’s night swung within minutes. Harvey Barnes met a corner and directed the ball goalwards, with White applying the final touch for White’s first goal for the Three Lions. A VAR review then ruled that White had fouled Federico Vinas inside the area, giving Valverde the chance to fire home from the penalty spot.

Tuchel handed opportunities to several squad players, with senior regulars watching from the sidelines. The reshaped England side created very little before a flurry of late substitutions. Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed wide from a promising cross earlier in the second half, while Barnes went close from a corner before White diverted the ball over the line.

England looked set for a routine finish after that goal. Uruguay protested about a possible foul in the build-up, and Manuel Ugarte appeared to receive a second yellow card for dissent. Referee Sven Jablonski never produced a red, and Marcelo Bielsa quickly replaced Ugarte, meaning Uruguay still had 11 players on the pitch.

Those decisions increased England’s frustration once Valverde equalised. The Real Madrid midfielder’s penalty was Uruguay’s first shot on target, arriving with seconds left. England had been on course for a seventh straight clean sheet, which would have matched a record first achieved in 2021, while goalkeeper James Trafford was close to a shutout on a senior debut.

Earlier calls also irritated England. Ugarte staying on the field was one flashpoint, while Ronald Araujo avoided punishment for a forceful challenge on Phil Foden that left Tuchel angered. Valverde’s late strike made more history, as the midfielder became the first player to score a last-minute penalty against England at Wembley since Mario Kempes for Argentina in 1974.