Three Lions cruise to victory in Nations League

England bounced back from a damning defeat to Greece with a comfortable 3-1 win away to Finland in the Nations League.

Lee Carsley made several changes to the team that last at Wembley on Thursday, including the return of captain Harry Kane.

He was not on the scoresheet, but the Three Lions looked more resolute and free-flowing with the Bayern Munich man up front.

Jack Grealish gave the visitors an early lead, playing a smart passed finish into the net after latching onto Angel Gomes’ pass.

Trent Alexander-Arnold doubled the score in the second half, sending a free-kick into the top corner in what can only be described as a stunning strike.

Declan Rice made it 3-0 with a few minutes to go, poking Ollie Watkins’ effort into the bottom corner.

3️⃣ goals and 3️⃣ points for the #ThreeLions 🫶 pic.twitter.com/R1AG4kDll4

— England (@England) October 13, 2024

Finland did get a consolation through Arttu Hoskonen, but it was not enough to down England, who still sit behind Greece in League B Group 2 on goal difference and having played a game less.

Read on to discover the full match report.

How it happened

England started with their usual control and patience, working through the early pressure from Finland.

The first breakthrough came in the 18th minute when Angel Gomes played a sublime through-ball to Grealish, whose perfectly timed run behind the Finnish defence left him one-on-one with goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky.

The Manchester City winger made no mistake, slotting home calmly to give England a 1-0 lead.

SUPER, SUPER JACK! ✨ pic.twitter.com/ZwlFso6qNe

— England (@England) October 13, 2024

Finland, despite going behind, responded with a few promising attacks.

A defensive lapse from England almost let the hosts back in, but Fredrik Jensen missed a golden opportunity in the 57th minute, blazing his shot over the bar with only the goalkeeper to beat.

The miss proved costly as England regained control and steadily increased the pressure.

The second half saw Finland briefly threaten, but England’s defensive organization largely kept them at bay.

After 60 minutes of play, a stunning free-kick from Alexander-Arnold doubled England’s advantage.

After Jude Bellingham was fouled on the edge of the box, the Liverpool full-back stepped up to deliver a perfectly placed shot into the top-left corner, giving Hradecky no chance and extending the lead to 2-0.

It was a wonderful @TrentAA free-kick to double our lead in Finland! 👏 https://t.co/KtLigCrzGu pic.twitter.com/7EmS3ZhCnv

— England (@England) October 13, 2024

England continued to rotate their squad, with substitutes adding fresh energy and impact.

In the 84th minute, Watkins provided a quick burst of pace down the right wing, delivering a low cross that Rice met at the near post to make it 3-0.

The goal seemed to seal the match for England, capping off a dominant performance from the visitors.

However, Finland refused to go quietly.

Just three minutes later, a corner from the left found Finland’s Robert Ivanov, who nodded the ball toward the near post where Hoskonen was lurking.

The defender directed his header into the top corner to pull one back for the hosts in the 87th minute, making it 3-1 and preventing England from securing a clean sheet.

Finland score. It’s now 3-1 to England.

— England (@England) October 13, 2024

In the final minutes, Finland continued to press, but John Stones and the England defence stood firm, ensuring that the late goal remained a mere consolation.

England saw out the remaining moments of stoppage time without too much difficulty, wrapping up a hard-earned victory.