Less than 48 hours after a penalty shoot-out ended Ethan Amapdu, Joe Rodon, Daniel James and Karl Darlow's chances of representing Wales in North America, Dominic Calvert-Lewin's World Cup hopes appeared to go up in smoke too.
Unlike his Welsh Leeds United club-mates, knocked out in the play-offs by Bosnia on Thursday, the striker from Sheffield can still technically make the World Cup. In reality, one missed header on Friday seems to have killed his hopes.
The bar is rightly set very high to make one of the hardest squads in world football to break into.
Ampadu, Rodon and James had played at a World Cup, Calvert-Lewin has not. After 1,728 days between caps, his audition lasted just over half an hour, and its decisive moment came midway through.
When Cole Palmer picked him out in space from a 70th-minute free-kick, Calvert-Lewin headed wide.
"It was normally a clear goal," said Tuchel. "He could have made a statement straight away."
THE CHANCE: Dominic Calvert-Lewin heads wide (Image: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)placeholder image
THE CHANCE: Dominic Calvert-Lewin heads wide (Image: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
"He worked his socks off," said. Tuchel "He worked like a dog. He was our first defender. He led the press. It took Dominic Calvet-Lewin a little bit to get the press right."
Also released on Saturday after a so-so show, Fikayo Tomori can make other plans for the summer too.
John Stones and Aaron Ramsdale’s hopes are on the critical list, Noni Madueke and Adam Wharton’s waning. Being sent home too is good for Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka.
UNPOPULAR GOAL: Ben White even got booed putting England in front against Uruguay on Friday (Image: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)placeholder image
UNPOPULAR GOAL: Ben White even got booed putting England in front against Uruguay on Friday (Image: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
A wet Friday in Wembley was not about Marcelo Bielsa's at-times over-aggressive men against those wearing red shirts even more expensive than filling your car with petrol.
It was Calvert-Lewin versus Solanke, Harry Maguire v Stones, James Trafford v Ramsdale and Dean Henderson, Djed Spence v Lewis Hall, Phil Foden v Palmer, James Garner v Wharton and Kobbie Mainoo, Madueke v Jarrod Bowen, Marcus Rashford v Harvey Barnes. Ben White ought to have been against Tomori, but it felt like him versus the whole of Wembley.
Has there ever been a less popular England goalscorer there than White when he poked in from a yard to put his country in front?
The Arsenal defender, loaned to Bielsa's Leeds in 2019-20, walked out on England at the 2022 Qatar World Cup then made himself unavailable to Gareth Southgate and temporary replacement Lee Carsley.
BIG WINNER: Cole Palmer strengthened his World Cup chances from the bench (Image: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)placeholder image
BIG WINNER: Cole Palmer strengthened his World Cup chances from the bench (Image: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
Wembley booed White's name pre-match, booed louder when he came on at centre-back to replace ex-Hull City loanee Tomori, and louder still when he tapped in Palmer's 84th-minute corner, flicked on by Barnes, to put England 1-0 up.
His high boot on Federico Valverde conceded the 94th-minute penalty the Real Madrid star scored.
But Tuchel has shown with his treatment of Jude Bellingham, Kyle Walker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Foden, Palmer, Maguire and others, he does not care about popularity.
"He needs to take it on the chin," said the German. "Hopefully he can put it behind him because he was ready to write new chapters and we are ready to give him a chance."
In his first game for Tuchel, Maguire made a very late double block which stopped a dominant England performance ending in defeat.
He had been wearing the captain's armband since half-time, and it is the role of leader the Sheffielder is fighting Barnsley-born Stones for. If Maguire is fighting a friend, Stones is fighting his body and lack of Manchester City gametime, and is losing.
DOWN AND OUT: Joe Rodon (far left) contemplated the end of Wales's World Cup dream after their penalty shoot-out in the World Cup European qualifying play-off match at home to Bosnia and Herzegovina on Thursday (Image: Warren Little/Getty Images)placeholder image
DOWN AND OUT: Joe Rodon (far left) contemplated the end of Wales's World Cup dream after their penalty shoot-out in the World Cup European qualifying play-off match at home to Bosnia and Herzegovina on Thursday (Image: Warren Little/Getty Images)
Even if Morgan Rogers v Bellingham is the battle to be the No 10, Foden v Palmer was still the main event nationally. The latter was the stronger Mancunian candidate.
The battleground suited Foden, Tuchel opting for a third midfielder and happy with the solidity the Manchester City man brought to the role.
But "in moments I thought he could be a bit more adventurous," commented Tuchel, tellingly.
Ronald Araujo clattering into Foden’s ankle brought Palmer on. He is one of only four English players to score in a major tournament final but a victim of football’s greedy calendar with only four caps since.
He showed the attacking intent Foden lacked, his crosses for Calvert-Lewin and White the highlights.
Another former Leeds loanee, Spence, did more in 68 minutes at left-back than his replacement Hall, Garner looked at home and Wharton showed drive from midfield. Mainoo did not sparkle.
Bowen may miss out after failing to cash in on Madueke's injury. Rashford's thrilling first-half run with no end product was typical of his tantalising form under Tuchel, but Barnes at least got his assist.
Debutant Trafford had little opportunity to show off in goal.