England defeat Latvia, continuing Tuchel's victorious beginning
Reece James delivered an exceptional free kick, while Eberechi Eze netted his first international goal as England secured a 3-0 victory over Latvia in a World Cup qualifier at Wembley Stadium on Monday. James, who made his first start since...
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Reece James delivered an exceptional free kick, while Eberechi Eze netted his first international goal as England secured a 3-0 victory over Latvia in a World Cup qualifier at Wembley Stadium on Monday.
James, who made his first start since September 2022, executed a stunning free kick that found the top corner in the 37th minute. This goal marked his first in 18 appearances for England and helped break down a resilient Latvia team.
In the second half, as the home crowd's patience began to wane, young midfielder Morgan Rogers skillfully linked up with Declan Rice to set up a tap-in for Harry Kane. Eze later added to the scoreline, cutting in from the right before seeing his shot deflect into the net.
England is considered the frontrunner to top Europe's Group K and secure a spot in the 2026 World Cup. New coach Thomas Tuchel, who was overseeing his second game in charge, expressed satisfaction with the outcome, though he acknowledged the need for improvement in performance against a team significantly lower in the FIFA rankings.
Tuchel praised James’s performance: "I know Reecey and the quality the boy has is amazing. He has every right to be proud and happy with his performance. He is in excellent shape. He looks sharp, in shape and the quality there can be no doubt."
In other Group K action, Albania recovered from their 2-0 loss to England on Friday by defeating Andorra 3-0 at home, with Rey Manaj scoring twice in the first half and Myrto Uzuni adding another in stoppage time.
In Group G, Poland secured their second win in three days, with Karol Świderski scoring two goals in each half against Malta. Meanwhile, Finland relinquished a two-goal lead against Lithuania, resulting in a 2-2 draw that halted their pursuit of a perfect record.
In Group H, Bosnia and Herzegovina maintained their winning streak by beating Cyprus 2-1 at home, while Romania claimed their first points with a dominant 5-1 victory over San Marino. Austria, the fifth team in Group H, is yet to commence its campaign.
Max Fischer for TROIB News
James, who made his first start since September 2022, executed a stunning free kick that found the top corner in the 37th minute. This goal marked his first in 18 appearances for England and helped break down a resilient Latvia team.
In the second half, as the home crowd's patience began to wane, young midfielder Morgan Rogers skillfully linked up with Declan Rice to set up a tap-in for Harry Kane. Eze later added to the scoreline, cutting in from the right before seeing his shot deflect into the net.
England is considered the frontrunner to top Europe's Group K and secure a spot in the 2026 World Cup. New coach Thomas Tuchel, who was overseeing his second game in charge, expressed satisfaction with the outcome, though he acknowledged the need for improvement in performance against a team significantly lower in the FIFA rankings.
Tuchel praised James’s performance: "I know Reecey and the quality the boy has is amazing. He has every right to be proud and happy with his performance. He is in excellent shape. He looks sharp, in shape and the quality there can be no doubt."
In other Group K action, Albania recovered from their 2-0 loss to England on Friday by defeating Andorra 3-0 at home, with Rey Manaj scoring twice in the first half and Myrto Uzuni adding another in stoppage time.
In Group G, Poland secured their second win in three days, with Karol Świderski scoring two goals in each half against Malta. Meanwhile, Finland relinquished a two-goal lead against Lithuania, resulting in a 2-2 draw that halted their pursuit of a perfect record.
In Group H, Bosnia and Herzegovina maintained their winning streak by beating Cyprus 2-1 at home, while Romania claimed their first points with a dominant 5-1 victory over San Marino. Austria, the fifth team in Group H, is yet to commence its campaign.
Max Fischer for TROIB News
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