England Respond in Style with a 3-1 Win Over Finland

England bounced back from the disappointing defeat to Greece with a crucial 3-1 victory over Finland, keeping promotion hopes alive!

October 13, 2024
6:20 pm

Three Lions bounced back from the 2-1 defeat against Greece with a fantastic 3-1 victory over Finland in Helsinki, keeping promotion dreams alive in UEFA Nations League Group B2. This win marked just their second away victory in seven UNL matches, with Jack Grealish, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Declan Rice all getting on the scoresheet.

Finland, knowing they needed a result to dodge relegation, started off strong. Benjamin Källman’s blocked shot fell to Topi Keskinen, who fluffed his chance early on, but it was just a little warning for us. However, we quickly took charge. In the 16th minute, Angel Gomes danced past his marker and slid a perfect pass to Jack Grealish, who coolly slotted the ball past Lukas Hradecky for his second goal in as many matches. Grealish, who missed out on the squad that reached the European Championship final, is making a solid case for a starting spot under Lee Carsley.

Despite the early setback, Finland fought back, pushing England and creating some dangerous moments before halftime. Keskinen and Fredrik Jensen both had decent chances, with Jensen sending a near-post effort over the bar, but Finland just couldn’t find that finishing touch to level things up.

In the second half, Jensen wasted another golden opportunity from just a few yards out, much to England’s relief. But Finland’s missed chances would soon come back to haunt them. In the 67th minute, Trent Alexander-Arnold curled a stunning free-kick over the Finnish wall and into the top corner, giving England a comfy two-goal lead. Moments later, substitute Ollie Watkins did brilliantly to beat his marker down the left and sent a low cross for Declan Rice to tap in England’s third, sealing the deal.

Finland did grab a consolation goal when Arttu Hoskonen headed in from Leo Walta’s corner at the near post in the dying minutes, but it was too late to spark a comeback. The victory lifts England to nine points, level with Greece at the top of the group, while Finland remains at the bottom, staring down the barrel of relegation.

Carsley will now be hoping that Ireland can pull off a surprise against Greece later on, as an Irish win would keep England firmly in the promotion race. Meanwhile, Finland’s Markku Kanerva faces a tough job rallying his side after another disappointing defeat, knowing that relegation to League C is looking pretty likely.

With three matches left, England’s campaign under Carsley is still on track, even if the performance wasn’t flawless. The interim boss has shown tactical flexibility and resilience in bouncing back from the Greece loss, as England pushes for a return to the UNL’s top tier.