Three Lions deliver second-half flurry at Wembley

England delivered a spectacular second-half performance to thrash the Republic of Ireland 5-0 at Wembley.

It was a frustrating first 45 minutes for the Three Lions, who were shut out by the visitors in their defensive shape.

But Lee Carsley’s men unlocked the door early in the second half through Harry Kane, who scored from the spot after Jude Bellingham was fouled in the box.

Liam Scales was given a second yellow card for the challenge, leaving the Irish down to 10 men for the remainder.

And it was 2-0 not long after thanks to Anthony Gordon, who volleyed home from fellow Newcastle team-mate Tino Livramento’s cross.

Conor Gallagher was next on the scoresheet, tapping in at the back post after Marc Guehi flicked on a corner.

And Jarrod Bowen netted just three seconds after coming on with England producing a beautiful set-piece move.

Debutant Taylor Harwood-Bellis got in on the action with a thumping header to seal a well-earned victory for England.

The win sees the Three Lions move back into League A of the Nations League after topping their group.

An extraordinary victory at @wembleystadium 👏

The win confirms England have topped #NationsLeague Group B2 and secured promotion to League A for 2026-27. pic.twitter.com/Uz4ctG7BXS

— England (@England) November 17, 2024

How it happened

The first half was a frustrating affair for England, as Ireland’s defensive resilience and disciplined shape kept the hosts at bay.

England held 75% of possession but could only muster speculative efforts, none of which troubled Irish goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher.

A flurry of yellow cards and minor scuffles highlighted a scrappy opening 45 minutes.

However, the complexion of the game shifted dramatically early in the second half.

The turning point came in the 51st minute when Irish defender Liam Scales received a second yellow card for a foul on Jude Bellingham inside the box.

Kane stepped up to convert the resulting penalty, calmly sending Kelleher the wrong way to break the deadlock.

With the man advantage, England quickly asserted their dominance.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 pic.twitter.com/NLlrBRf2VQ

— England (@England) November 17, 2024

Gordon doubled the lead in the 55th minute, latching onto a deflected cross from Livramento to smash home his first international goal.

The floodgates opened as Gallagher added a third just minutes later, reacting quickest to Guehi’s flick-on from a corner to stab the ball into the roof of the net.

Substitutes added further gloss to the scoreline.

Bowen, introduced for Noni Madueke, made an immediate impact in the 75th minute, finishing a well-crafted free-kick routine orchestrated by Bellingham.

England’s fifth and final goal came from debutant Harwood-Bellis, who rose highest to head Bellingham’s pinpoint cross into the bottom corner in the 79th minute.

Bellingham, despite not getting on the scoresheet, was central to England’s attacking efforts, contributing two assists and dictating play.

Kelleher made notable saves to deny Kane and Bowen late on, preventing an even heavier defeat for the visitors.

Ireland, who had offered little threat throughout, could only muster a single shot in the game and struggled to cope after Scales’ dismissal.

The win also marked a historic occasion for England, as four players – Gordon, Gallagher, Bowen, and Harwood-Bellis – scored their maiden international goals in the same match, a feat last achieved in 1930.

England will look to carry this momentum into the Thomas Tuchel era in 2025.