In the England vs Finland clash, England avoided further disappointment as Trent Alexander-Arnold’s stunning free-kick helped secure a 3-1 win in the Nations League on Sunday.
Four days after suffering a shock defeat to Greece at Wembley, England struggled at times in Helsinki. However, despite their shaky performance, Lee Carsley’s side managed to find enough quality in attack to ensure victory.
Jack Grealish opened the scoring in the first half, while Alexander-Arnold and Declan Rice added two more goals in the second half. Although Finland’s Arttu Hoskonen netted a late consolation goal, England’s third win in four games under Carsley kept them in the race for promotion from Nations League Group B2.
Tense Start for England
In the England vs Finland match, Carsley’s team found it far from easy. Carsley, in the spotlight as the Football Association considers who should replace Gareth Southgate permanently, saw his tactics questioned after the Greece loss. Despite his first two wins against Ireland and Finland in September, his experimental formation without a striker raised doubts.
With speculation swirling that Thomas Tuchel is in talks with the FA, and Newcastle’s Eddie Howe also mentioned as a possible candidate, Carsley is expected to lead England into their next matches against Greece and Ireland in November. Seeking redemption after the Greece defeat, Carsley made six changes, including Dean Henderson replacing Jordan Pickford in goal and Harry Kane returning from injury.
Grealish, Kyle Walker, Marc Guehi, and Angel Gomes also returned to the lineup, but England found it tough against a Finnish side ranked 60 places below them in the FIFA world rankings.
Early Lead for England
England nearly paid for a defensive error early on when Gomes gave the ball away, but Topi Keskinen missed a clear chance. England responded quickly and took the lead in the 18th minute after a well-worked 17-pass move. Alexander-Arnold fired a precise pass to Gomes, who turned smartly and played a perfect through-ball for Grealish. The forward finished coolly for his fourth England goal, celebrating with a thumb-sucking gesture in honor of his newborn daughter, Mila.
Despite the lead, England remained vulnerable at the back. Keskinen missed another chance, shooting straight at Henderson, and Alexander-Arnold, deployed at left-back instead of his usual right-back position, struggled defensively. Fredrik Jensen nearly capitalized, firing just over the bar.
Alexander-Arnold’s Moment of Magic
Jensen missed another golden opportunity from close range, highlighting England’s defensive issues. Carsley reacted by making substitutions, bringing on Ollie Watkins and Noni Madueke for Palmer and Kane. The changes injected some energy into the team, and in the 74th minute, Alexander-Arnold doubled the lead with a brilliant free-kick from 25 yards that left Finnish goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky helpless.
With six minutes remaining, Rice made it 3-0, tapping in from close range after a cross from Watkins. Finland’s Hoskonen pulled one back in the 87th minute, heading home from a corner after England’s poor marking, but it was too late to mount a comeback.
England Back on Track
The England vs Finland win helped Carsley’s side get back on track in the Nations League, with two important matches against Greece and Ireland coming up in November. While the victory was far from flawless, it kept England in contention for promotion and eased some of the pressure on Carsley as speculation about his future continues.
