Lee Carsley’s first match answerable for the England senior facet completed in victory on Saturday, with the Three Lions beating Eire 2-0 of their 2024/25 UEFA Nations League opener.
Declan Rice and Jack Grealish, who have been booed incessantly having represented Eire at senior and youth degree respectively, scored the decisive targets within the first half to safe a snug victory.
England’s League B marketing campaign continues towards Finland on Tuesday as Carsley searches for back-to-back wins to kickstart his reign.
How the sport unfolded
A cacophonous ambiance greeted each units of gamers in Dublin and the decibels contained in the Aviva Stadium elevated after simply three minutes when Jayson Molumby linked with a header on the far put up. Nevertheless, the West Bromwich Albion midfielder could not preserve his effort down.
England grabbed the primary purpose of Carsley’s reign after simply 11 minutes and it was the unpopular Rice who supplied it. Regardless of a powerful save from Anthony Gordon’s preliminary shot, Caoimhin Kelleher was helpless because the Arsenal midfielder bent his strike into the highest nook from 12 yards.
The guests doubled their benefit with 26 minutes performed and it was Grealish who grabbed a well-taken second. Rice was on the coronary heart of a lovely one-touch transfer that sliced Eire open and the scorer of England’s opener turned supplier, pulling again for Grealish to comb into the far nook.
Anthony Gordon and Kane each noticed lunging blocks deny them from shut vary because the half wore on however Carsley’s males have been unable to capitalise on their dominance to safe a game-ending third earlier than the break.
Eire got here near lowering the deficit across the hour mark when two Ipswich City summer season signings linked. Chiedozie Ogbene picked out Sammie Szmodics contained in the penalty space and the previous Blackburn Rovers ahead curled his shot simply extensive of Jordan Pickford’s put up.
England have been capable of sluggish the tempo of the sport down after the half-time whistle however they nonetheless confirmed indicators of life within the last third. Gordon was energetic on the left wing and saved Kelleher on his toes with a reasonably tame effort with 20 minutes to play.
Substitute Jarrod Bowen was subsequent to check Kelleher with simply 5 minutes to play, driving ahead together with his first touches of the ball and arrowing an effort in direction of the far put up. Bukayo Saka nearly added some gloss to the scoreline in stoppage-time too, however Kelleher stood agency to palm his curling shot extensive.
However in the long run England have been joyful to see out a tepid second half with little fuss, holding on to their clear sheet to safe a primary win for Carsley of their Nations League opener.
GK: Caoimhin Kelleher – 6/10 – Made some strong saves to maintain the rating down and was left with no probability for England’s strikes.
RB: Matt Doherty – 4/10 – Nearly all of England’s pleasure got here down the left flank, with Doherty unable to stifle Gordon in one-v-one duels.
CB: Seamus Coleman – 5/10 – Struggled to deal with the motion of Gordon and Grealish earlier than coming off injured earlier than the hour mark.
CB: Nathan Collins – 5/10 – Stored Kane comparatively quiet however did not organise a leaky backline within the first half from the centre of a again three.
CB: Dara O’Shea – 5/10 – Stood helpless as England carved Eire open for his or her second purpose of the sport, not getting tight sufficient to chop out the fast passes within the build-up.
LB: Robbie Brady – 3/10 – Discovered it robust to maintain tabs on Saka, who was fast to dash past him and draw him into fouls. The Arsenal winger tormented him after the break.
RM: Chiedozie Ogbene – 7/10 – Sprinted into the ultimate third with tempo and vitality on loads of events and was simply Eire’s most spectacular performer regardless of missing a bit of finish product.
CM: Jayson Molumby – 5/10 – Had a wonderful alternative to show house early doorways, failing to regulate his far-post header. Dominated by England’s midfield a bit of too simply.
CM: Will Smallbone – 5/10 – Did not get near England’s midfield, usually resorting to giving freely fouls when he did.
LM: Sammie Szmodics – 6/10 – Examined Jordan Pickford with a good effort within the first half and will have netted after an hour. Booked for a nasty problem on Gordon moments earlier than half-time.
ST: Adam Idah – 5/10 – Supplied little or no help from his teammates and was virtually invisible all through.
Substitutes
SUB: Jake O’Brien (57′ for Coleman) – 5/10 – Regular however unspectacular.
SUB: Jason Knight (57′ for Doherty) – 6/10 – Did effectively towards the specter of Gordon.
SUB: Alan Browne (75′ for Smallbone) – 6/10
SUB: Kasey McAteer (75′ for Idah) – 6/10
SUB: Evan Ferguson (82′ for Brady) – N/A
Subs not used: Mark Travers (GK), Max O’Leary (GK), Andrew Omobamidele, Callum O’Dowda, Liam Scales, Callum Robinson, Troy Parrott.
Supervisor
Heimir Hallgrimsson – 5/10 – A troublesome debut as Eire boss for the Icelander, together with his facet missing any actual menace within the last third. Improved after the break however nonetheless seemed off the tempo.
GK: Jordan Pickford – 6/10 – Seldom examined by Eire’s forwards however made one save to disclaim Szmodics early within the match.
RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold – 6/10 – Working as a standard right-back in lots of senses however commonly stepped into midfield, too. Nevertheless, his passing radar was off and he gifted possession to Eire a bit of too often.
CB: Marc Guehi – 7/10 – Did not at all times look snug in bodily duels with Celtic striker Idah however definitely grew in confidence. Used his tempo successfully when Eire’s forwards made uncommon forays in behind.
CB: Harry Maguire – 7/10 – A constant menace from attacking set items and was there to fulfill loads of crosses inside his personal penalty space. A cushty return to the worldwide stage.
LB: Levi Colwill – 7/10 – Ogbene did supply him just a few complications, particularly after the break, however he stood as much as the check in a much less acquainted function on the left facet of defence.
DM: Declan Rice – 9/10 – Unsurprisingly booed with each contact on account of his three Eire caps nevertheless it solely spurned him. Produced an correct end to fireside England in entrance and was key to an beautiful transfer which created their second.
DM: Kobbie Mainoo – 6/10 – Just a few shaky moments early on, together with a unnecessary reserving, however steadied himself swiftly. Competent on the ball and his positioning allowed Rice extra freedom in superior areas.
RW: Bukayo Saka – 8/10 – Saka was vigorous all through, stretching Eire down their left-hand facet and giving Brady nightmares. His fast toes and dribbling skill opened doorways for England, particularly within the second half.
AM: Jack Grealish – 8/10 – Booed alongside Rice for his Irish connection and was equally fast to subdue the group. Supplied the final touch to a pointy transfer midway via the primary interval and gained a complete heap of fouls.
LW: Anthony Gordon – 7/10 – Determined to run past the Eire backline and wreaked havoc when doing so. Simply lacked a bit of finesse when close to purpose.
ST: Harry Kane – 6/10 – The skipper struggled for touches and was largely a bystander. His deflected shot did arrange Rice for the opener.
Substitutes
SUB: Morgan Gibbs-White (77′ for Grealish) – 6/10
SUB: Angel Gomes (77′ for Mainoo) – 6/10
SUB: Eberechi Eze (77′ for Gordon) – 6/10
SUB: John Stones (84′ for Maguire) – N/A
SUB: Jarrod Bowen (84′ for Kane) – N/A
Subs not used: Dean Henderson (GK), Nick Pope (GK), Ezri Konsa, Tino Livramento, Rico Lewis, Conor Gallagher, Noni Madueke.
Supervisor
Lee Carsley – 7/10 – A reasonably snug first match answerable for the senior squad in a troublesome ambiance. Spectacular within the first half and managed after the break, however will need much more from his gamers towards Finland.
