England secured their return to the top tier of the Nations League when a second-half blitz helped them beat the Republic of Ireland in Lee Carsley’s final game as interim manager.
The Boys in Green frustrated the Three Lions for the first 45 minutes but Liam Scales’ red card opened the door for the hosts, who scored three times in six minutes through Harry Kane, Anthony Gordon and Conor Gallagher.
Jarrod Bowen and Taylor Harwood-Bellis later made it 5-0, causing further misery for the Irish.
However, the win was needed to confirm top spot in League B Group 2 beating Greece on Thursday. Their victory over Finland meant little as England avoided involvement in the play-offs in Thomas Tuchel’s first games in charge at the start of 2025.
How the game developed
England Kane returned to the starting line-up for Sunday’s game at Wembley Stadium after the Bayern Munich striker was benched for the 3-0 win in Greece.
It was the Irish who enjoyed most of the first half, cheered on by a large contingent of fans. Although England asked some probing questions that needed to be answered, Heimir Hallgrimsson’s side were well organized and did not allow Anthony Gordon or Noni Madueke much space.
While looking strong in attack, nerves began to fray in the home camp as Ireland began to show promise in attack. Watford’s Festy Ebosele showed expert footwork on the touchline and Evan Ferguson looked nimble in the box.
A relatively uninspiring first 45 minutes ended with yellow cards for Kane and Jayson Mulumby for an ugly brawl, with England top of Group 2 with Finland and Greece also goalless.
Ireland’s hard work came undone at the start of the second half. Kane’s blistering pass found Jude Bellingham, who was tackled by Liam Scales in the box as he cut back towards goal. After being booked for delaying the restart before half-time, the Celtic defender was dismissed with a second yellow card for a foul.
It was the England captain who dispatched the penalty, stuttering and firing to Caoimhin Kelleher’s left, and just minutes later he made it 2-0 and possibly the game for the Irish.
Tino Livramento broke away down the right and his deflected cross fell kindly for Gordon, who was in the right place to finish well to double the Three Lions’ lead.
A positive opening period had really come undone for Ireland. The Boys in Green had disrupted England’s pace and prevented them from creating chances, but the shortage of players proved a real disadvantage as they conceded a third goal in quick succession.
Madueke’s corner was headed in by Marc Guehi and Gallagher scored on the byline to celebrate his first goal for his country. A video assistant referee check halted proceedings, but the strike was eventually upheld.
Ireland tried to keep England at bay but it was a night of firsts at Wembley as Bowen joined Gordon and Gallagher to bag for the first time at senior level. Just 30 seconds after being introduced as a substitute, the West Ham United forward was awarded a set piece and made no mistake.
Harwood-Bellis had entered the fray for his debut just after the hour mark and it was the Southampton defender who made his mark afterwards, pouncing on Bellingham’s pinpoint cross to power a header over Kelleher.
This goal meant England boasted four top scorers at international level overnight and brought Carsley’s reign as caretaker boss to a positive conclusion, with new manager Tuchel now set to steer the team towards the 2026 World Cup.
GK: Jordan Pickford – 6/10 – Had little to do in stopping shots and managed to pick out some good long balls from the back.
RB: Tino Livramento – 7/10 – Created Gordon’s attack with a good run down the wing, although his cross was deflected to his Newcastle United team-mate.
CB: Kyle Walker – 6/10 – Was back in central defense and managed to use his pace effectively to stifle any promising Irish attacks.
CB: Marc Guehi – 7/10 – Was in good position all night and got an assist with a shot to Gallagher.
LB: Lewis Hall – 7/10 – Gave possession a bit sloppy at times, but still tried to play the ball forward and helped move the game forward frequently.
CM: Conor Gallagher – 8/10 – Rarely lost the ball and won possession often. A fine display in midfield ended with his first England goal, reacting well to a corner kick.
CM: Curtis Jones – 7/10 – Neat, tidy and hardworking in the middle of the park. Another strong display enhanced his England credentials going forward.
RW: Noni Madueke – 7/10 – Booked a clumsy foul but gave Callum O’Dowda a tough afternoon with his dribbling and made a few dangerous crosses.
AM: Jude Bellingham – 8/10 – Made some enterprising runs as he tried to get England’s attack moving. No goal came but he set up Bowen with a move straight from the training ground and then crossed perfectly for Harwood-Bellis.
LW: Anthony Gordon – 7/10 – Always looked to dart up and down the left and opened his England account with a well-taken finish.
ST: Harry Kane – 7/10 – Not always the most mobile, but showed his devilish passing range and was as reliable as ever to open the scoring from the penalty spot.
Substitutes
Taylor Harwood-Bellis (62′ for Walker) – 7/10 – Made a dream start to his Three Lions career with a stunning header and looked solid as Ireland were well beaten.
Morgan Rogers (75′ for Gordon) – 6/10
Dominic Solanke (75′ for Gallagher) – 6/10
Jarrod Bowen (75′ for Madueke) – 7/10 – He got on the scoreboard with his first touch of the ball.
Angel Gomes (79′ for Jones) – 6/10
Subs not used: Dean Henderson (GK), James Trafford (GK), Jarell Quansah, Rico Lewis, Morgan Gibbs-White, Ollie Watkins.
manager
Lee Carsley – 7/10 – Ended his interim spell with an emphatic victory, although Ireland provided several obstacles in the first half. He will return to the Under-21s with Tuchel ready to take over.
