England, after a year relegated to the second division of the Nations League, confirmed promotion on the last day and is once again among the best after beating the Republic of Ireland this Sunday (5-0). Harry Kane’s goals, in a penalty forced by Jude Bellingham, who provided two assistsAnthony Gordon, Conor Gallagher, Jarred Bowen and debutant Taylor Harwood-Bellis ensured promotion for England, who needed to replicate Greece’s result against Finland to finish first in the group.
It was not easy for Lee Carsley’s men, who this Sunday says goodbye to the team to make way for Thomas Tuchel. The first half was terrible, with no shots on goal by both teams and a carousel of yellow cards that led to Bellingham missing the promotion playoff if its team had had to compete in it. Fortunately for England, that problem no longer exists. In the second half, he completed the job, starting with a great play by Bellingham himself.
The Real Madrid player, anchored in the ‘9’ position and exchanging with Harry Kane on occasions so that he could function as ‘quarterback’, as he usually does, received a great pass from the forward inside the area, faked against Scales and the defender Irishman tripped him. Clear penalty and second yellow for Scales, who went to the street and left Ireland naked.
Kane, from the penalty spot, started a carnage that was completed by Anthony Gordon, chasing a volley inside the area, Conor Gallagher, who made his debut as a scorer, by pushing at the far post a extension on a Marc Guehi corner, Jarred Bowen, who thirty seconds after taking the field took advantage of a strategic play and was assisted by Bellingham to make it 4-0, and Taylor Harwood-Bellis, who headed another Bellingham cross to round off the ‘hand’. Jude was named MVP. Greece, in the other group match, also beat Finland (0-2), but having lost the particular goal difference against England She is second and will have to go to the playoff to be in the top division.
The match sheet:
5 – England: Pickford; Livramento, Walker (Harwood-Bellis, m.62), Guehi, Hall; Gallagher (Solanke, m.75), Jones (Gomes, m.79), Bellingham; Madueke (Bowen, m.75), Gordon (Rogers, m.74) y Kane.
0 – Republic Ireland: Kelleher; O’Shea, McGuinness, Collins, Scales, O’Dowda (Azaz, m.66); Cullen (Moran, m.76), Ebosele (Manning, m.66), Molumbry; Szmodics (McAteer, m.86) y Ferguson (Parrott, m.66).
Goals: 1-0, m.53: Kane, de penalti. 2-0, m.56: Gordon. 3-0, m.58: Gallagher. 4-0, m.76: Bowen. 5-0, m.79: Harwood-Bellis.
Arbitrator: Erik Lambrechts. He admonished Bellingham (m.42), Madueke (m.42), Kane (m.45+2) and Gomes (m.89) for England, and Scales (m.43 and m.51), Molumby (m. m.48+) and O’Shea (m.85) for Ireland.
incidences: Match corresponding to the sixth day of the Nations League played at Wembley Stadium (London).
