Marcus Rashford, Danny Welbeck Score as England Beat Costa Rica in Friendly

Marcus Rashford and Danny Welbeck fired England to a comfortable 2-0 win over Costa Rica at Elland Road on Thursday in the Three Lions' final game before the World Cup.

Rashford's sublime strike from distance handed England the lead after 13 minutes before Welbeck came off the bench to score a diving header in the 76th minute. 

England boss Gareth Southgate made 10 changes from the side that beat Nigeria 2-1 in their previous friendly. John Stones was the only player to remain in the starting lineup, while Trent Alexander-Arnold made his senior debut.

Rashford Deserves to Start vs. Tunisia

Following the raft of changes to the lineup, Rashford leapt at the opportunity to make a case for a starting spot in England's opening World Cup match against Tunisia.

The forward's intent was clear from the start, per ITV Football:

In the first half in particular, he was involved in almost everything positive England did in the final third, showing energy, drive and plenty of skill as he gave Costa Rica's back line a torrid time.

He capped his performance with a sensational effort from 25 yards that sailed past Keylor Navas into the far corner.

Former footballer Curtis Woodhouse and Goal's Sam Lee suggested Rashford has been released from the shackles Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho placed on him:

The 20-year-old is especially effective when starting matches for the Three Lions, per OptaJoe:

Raheem Sterling's excellent domestic campaign for Manchester City may well see him selected ahead of Rashford for the Tunisia match, but the latter's efforts will give Southgate a selection headache.

England Need to Play More Games Away from Wembley

Good matches are often accompanied by good atmospheres, and they can each feed one another. If you give the crowd something to cheer about, they will, and likewise a good atmosphere can breathe life into those on the pitch.

One of England's problems has long been their inability to inspire excitement in those watching them. In turn, it's little wonder they struggle to switch it on in front of unenthused crowds.

However, Thursday's clash at Elland Road was lively on and off the pitch, and playing away from the almost soulless, corporate environment at Wembley Stadium was likely a factor.

The atmosphere in Leeds was apparent from the start, per Match of the Day:

Football blogger Matty Roper and former Premier League striker Grant Holt believe England would benefit from playing more games around the country:

Southgate's impressive management has helped breathe new life into the Three Lions, and playing to more engaged crowds in other venues could help reignite that lost passion further. Here's hoping the atmosphere did not fall on deaf ears at the FA. 

What Next

England open their World Cup campaign against Tunisia on June 18, while Costa Rica have a warm-up friendly against Belgium on Monday before they play against Group E opponents Serbia on June 17.