Following the high of World Cup qualification a month earlier, England were brought back down to earth with a bump last night as Chile recorded a 2-0 victory from their trip to Wembley.
So, what did we learn from what was a sobering evening in the capital for the Three Lions? Here, Sports Mole has picked out five of the major talking points.
1. Mixed debuts for Southampton pair
It was a big night for Jay Rodriguez and Adam Lallana, both of whom made their first appearances in an England shirt. The latter of the two showed some neat touches and even hinted on occasions that he was on the same wavelength as Wayne Rooney. Meanwhile, he may well go on to have an international career, but Rodriguez struggled to make an impact. He didn't see too much of the ball, although he did carry out his defensive duties well.
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2. Wilshere needs to keep his cool
The World Cup is no place for petulance, just ask David Beckham and Rooney. Both were identified as key men during knockout matches in 1998 and 2006 respectively and were subsequently red-carded after showing some retaliation. Jack Wilshere rose to the bait yesterday when he clashed with Jean Beausejour off the ball, but because it was a friendly, the referee opted against taking any action. World Cup officials are not so forgiving.
3. Chile become dark horses
There will be those that were not too aware of Chile's capabilities before last night, but they will be now. Jorge Sampaoli's side mimic the likes of Barcelona and Spain, in that they play with pace and on the counter-attack, while pressing their opposition high up the pitch in order to regain possession as quickly as possible. They may not be among the favourites to win next summer, but it is worth considering that a South American side has won every World Cup on that continent.
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4. Lampard's World Cup place in doubt?
A memorable night for Frank Lampard, who collected a golden cap to mark his 100 appearances at senior international level. That is where the positivity ended for the Chelsea midfielder, though. He seemed to struggle with the pace of the Chileans from his deeper midfield role. You would have to fear for his place in Brazil, largely because captain Steven Gerrard is more effective in that position, while Michael Carrick is a more assured passer of the ball.
5. Townsend's omission proves worth
Andros Townsend was a breath of fresh air for England during their important World Cup qualifiers last month. Although primarily left-footed, the Tottenham Hotspur winger was comfortable when either cutting inside his marker, or getting down to the byline. He was left out to give the likes of Lallana and Rodriguez a chance and his absence was felt. When he was introduced early in the second half, he lifted the spirits of the Wembley crowd for a while with a handful of driving runs at the Chilean rearguard.
Liam Apicella
