Burkina Faso
Indonesia
Lithuania
Montenegro
Nigeria
North Macedonia

Greece0 - 3England

sportsmole.co.uk, 14 November 2024, 21:40
England have risen to the top of Group 2 of League B in the UEFA Nations League courtesy of a 3-0 victory over Greece in Athens on Thursday night.

Lee Carsley's side entered the match knowing that they needed a two-goal success to ensure that they would be at the top of the section heading into their final fixture with Republic of Ireland, and the Three Lions managed to score three unanswered goals.

England made the breakthrough in the seventh minute of the contest, with Ollie Watkins turning a Noni Madueke cross into the back of the net from close range to score his fifth goal in a Three Lions shirt.

Watkins was picked ahead of Harry Kane, who had hit the headlines on Wednesday night when he criticised the players who have withdrawn from the England squad during the current international break.

There had been talk of a potential injury for Kane, but interim head coach Carsley revealed ahead of the match that Watkins was being given the chance 'to become a leader'; he certainly made the most of his opportunity, and the goal would have been a relief, having not scored in his last five games for Aston Villa.

Jude Bellingham headed against the post early in the second period, before Fotis Ioannidis was denied by an excellent save from Jordan Pickford, with Greece coming close to levelling the scores.

England doubled their advantage in the 78th minute of the contest, though, with Bellingham's strike after an excellent run coming off the post before hitting the back of Greece goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos and dropping into the back of the net.

The visitors then made it 3-0 in the 83rd minute, as Curtis Jones scored a debut goal by flicking a cross from Morgan Gibbs-White into the bottom corner.

England are now ahead of second-placed Greece on goal difference, meaning that any win over Republic of Ireland on Sunday would see them top the group and earn promotion to League A, but a draw or a defeat could see them finish second, which would mean a spot in the promotion playoffs.

GREECE VS. ENGLAND HIGHLIGHTS

Ollie Watkins goal vs. Greece (7th min, Greece 0-1 England)

England make the breakthrough in the seventh minute of the contest, and the goal comes from Watkins, with the striker turning a low cross from Madueke into the back of the net from close range; England have struck early in this key Nations League clash.

Odysseas Vlachodimos own goal vs. Greece (78th min, Greece 0-2 England)

England double their advantage in the 78th minute of the match, and it is unfortunate for the Greece goalkeeper, as a strike from Bellingham comes off the post before hitting Vlachodimos and dropping into the back of the net.

Curtis Jones goal vs. Greece (83rd min, Greece 0-3 England)

Jones caps his England debut with a wonderful goal, as the Liverpool midfielder flicks a cross from Gibbs-White into the back of the net, with the Three Lions taking a 3-0 lead in Athens.

MAN OF THE MATCH - JORDAN PICKFORD

Pickford demonstrated on Thursday night why he is England's number one goalkeeper; the Everton man made an excellent save in the first half to deny Kostas Tsimikas, before keeping out Ioannidis in the second period.

The 30-year-old made four saves in total during a brilliant performance between the sticks, and incoming head coach Thomas Tuchel will have no issues when it comes to selecting him, as there is not another English goalkeeper close to him.

GREECE VS. ENGLAND MATCH STATS

Possession: Greece 43%-57% England

Shots: Greece 10-9 England

Shots on target: Greece 5-5 England

Corners: Greece 4-3 England

Fouls: Greece 18-10 England

BEST STATS

WHAT NEXT?

Any win for England over Republic of Ireland at Wembley on Sunday evening would see them finish at the top of the section and earn promotion, but a draw or a defeat would open the door for Greece.

Ivan Jovanovic's side are now second in the section, and they will finish away to Finland on Sunday, looking for a victory and then hoping for a favour from Republic of Ireland in order to finish at the summit.

Show more

Top News

5 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal are reportedly poised to sign Leroy Sane amid speculation that contract renewal talks with Bayern Munich have broken down. 5 May 2025 talksport.com UEFA have acted quickly after they unintentionally rubbed salt into the wounds of Tottenham Hotspur fans. 5 May 2025 talksport.com Coventry City's Tatsuhiro Sakamoto may have picked up the wrong sport as a child. 5 May 2025 talksport.com The Europa League winners should be stripped of automatic Champions League qualification, according to Arsene Wenger. 5 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal veteran Jorginho has apparently reached an agreement to join Brazilian giants Flamengo when his contract runs its course at the end of the season. 5 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool are said to be prepared to push for Bournemouth centre-back Dean Huijsen amid concerns that Ibrahima Konate could leave the club. 5 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Six days on from a classic encounter in Spain, Inter Milan and Barcelona meet again on Tuesday, as they fight it out for a place in this season's Champions League final. 5 May 2025 talksport.com Harry Kane will spend one more season at Bayern Munich before he returns to the Premier League. 5 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United are said to have been involved in talks with Juventus regarding the transfer of striker Rasmus Hojlund. 5 May 2025 talksport.com Huddersfield have confirmed nine first-team players have joined Jonathan Hogg in leaving the club. 5 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal are reportedly concerned about the prospect of William Saliba becoming a target for Real Madrid within the next two years. 5 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City have reportedly suggested that they are prepared to pay €65m (£55.37m) to sign a Tottenham Hotspur star. 5 May 2025 talksport.com Chelsea have shared a moment to forget for Trent Alexander-Arnold after his Liverpool exit was officially confirmed. 5 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal have reportedly identified a Real Madrid star as a potential summer transfer target. 5 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United are reportedly open to cashing in on one of their attackers should an offer arrive from Chelsea this summer. 5 May 2025 talksport.com Jamie Carragher has warned Trent Alexander-Arnold that he has lost the 'unconditional support' of Liverpool fans. 5 May 2025 talksport.com Liverpool will attack the transfer market this summer in a bid to retain their Premier League title, talkSPORT understands. 5 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold has reportedly agreed to sign a long-term contract with Real Madrid. 5 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Either Paris Saint-Germain or Arsenal will be just 90 minutes away from a first-ever Champions League title when the final whistle blows in Wednesday's semi-final second leg at the Parc des Princes. 5 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United are reportedly prepared to join the race to sign Brentford attacker Bryan Mbeumo this summer. 5 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Crystal Palace talisman Eberechi Eze is "tailor-made" to play for Arsenal and should arguably be above Athletic Bilbao's Nico Williams on the Gunners' transfer shortlist, journalist Charles Watts has claimed. 5 May 2025 talksport.com Former Barnsley manager Gerhard Struber has sensationally been sacked by Cologne with the side on the brink of Bundesliga promotion. 5 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool reportedly tabled a series of contract offers in a bid to keep Trent Alexander-Arnold at Anfield 5 May 2025 talksport.com Trent Alexander-Arnold will be forced to move on from his iconic No.66 after completing his switch to Real Madrid. 5 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea have reportedly identified a La Liga defender as a potential target for the summer transfer window. 5 May 2025 talksport.com Harry Kane can be considered on par with Lionel Messi given his scoring success at Bayern Munich. 5 May 2025 talksport.com With the reality setting in over Trent Alexander-Arnold's Liverpool departure, he'd be well advised to not check his phone for a while. 5 May 2025 talksport.com That's it, Trent Alexander-Arnold has confirmed that after 20 years at Liverpool, he's leaving the club. 5 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk The worst kept secret is out; Trent Alexander-Arnold is leaving Liverpool. 5 May 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Leeds United have reportedly identified an Argentina international as a potential summer transfer target.