England earned a return to the highest level of the Nations League with a 5-0 victory against 10-man Ireland during interim manager Lee Carsley’s final match at Wembley on November 17.
Harry Kane’s penalty, Anthony Gordon’s volley, and Conor Gallagher’s tap-in in five minutes at the beginning of the second half, following a dull first half, broke Ireland’s resolve.
Late Goals Seal the Rout
Jarrod Bowen scored the fourth goal with a sharp shot from the edge of the box, his initial touch after entering as a substitute, followed by debutant Taylor Harwood-Bellis who headed in England’s fifth goal.
Ireland spent nearly all of the second half with only 10 players after Liam Scales was dismissed for a foul on Jude Bellingham that led to a penalty for England.
England Tops Group B2
England concluded Group B2 in first place, accumulating 15 points over six matches, which was equal to Greece but had a better goal difference in the two encounters between the teams.
Carsley will now pass on the management role to Thomas Tuchel after achieving victory in five of the six matches he managed, along with some valuable insights for the German who will assume control in January.
Milestones for England Scorers
It was expected that Kane would find the back of the net for his 69th goal with the England team, but the other four players who scored all achieved their first senior international goals.
Debuts and First Impressions
Carsley also provided initial appearances for Newcastle United defenders Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall, while Southampton’s Harwood-Bellis marked his first cap with a goal.
England left a sizable crowd on the evening of November 17 feeling unimpressed with a dull first half in which neither team recorded a single shot on goal.
Key Moments of the Match
The floodgates truly opened when Kane’s exceptional pass located Jude Bellingham in the box, and as Bellingham attempted to maneuver past Scales, the Celtic defender fouled him, resulting in a penalty and a second yellow card for himself. Kane coolly converted the penalty kick.
Ireland subsequently fell apart. Gordon directed a volley to increase the home team’s lead, and Gallagher tapped in after a corner was deflected on.
Bowen and Harwood-Bellis then added the finishing touch.
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