England celebrated a landmark evening by securing top spot in their Nations League group with a commanding 5-0 victory over the Republic of Ireland at Wembley.
The triumph not only confirmed their promotion to League A but also marked a night of historic achievements for the Three Lions.
Harry Kane set the tone by breaking the deadlock in the second half, converting a penalty after Jude Bellingham was brought down in the box by Liam Scales.
Scales, the Celtic defender, was shown a second yellow card for the foul, leaving Ireland to play the remaining 40 minutes with ten men.
England capitalized swiftly on their numerical advantage, netting twice in the next five minutes.
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Anthony Gordon scored his maiden international goal, volleying home from a deflected cross by Newcastle teammate Tino Livramento. Moments later, Conor Gallagher extended the lead, pouncing on Marc Guehi‘s deflected header to tap in at the back post.
Substitutions proved impactful as Jarrod Bowen scored with his first touch, hammering a well-worked free-kick into the net just seconds after entering the pitch.
Taylor Harwood-Bellis capped the scoring spree with a towering header from Bellingham’s pinpoint delivery, marking another debutant goal on the night.
This performance sees interim manager Lee Carsley bow out on a high note, having also overseen a 3-0 win over Greece earlier in the week.
Under Carsley, England tallied an impressive 16 goals in six games, with eight players earning their first caps—a promising foundation for incoming manager Thomas Tuchel, set to take charge in January.
The night was particularly historic as it marked the first time since October 1930 that four players—Gordon, Gallagher, Bowen, and Harwood-Bellis—scored their first international goals in the same game.
The last occurrence of such a feat was against Northern Ireland, with Harry Burgess, Jimmy Hampson, Sammy Crooks, and Eric Houghton achieving it.
England’s superior goal difference secured their position atop the Nations League group, despite Greece defeating Finland 2-0 in Helsinki to match them on points.
Finland’s relegation concludes a winless campaign, while England’s promotion solidifies their place in Group A.
Adding another milestone, this result marked England’s third consecutive win over Ireland—the first time in history—following 2-0 and 3-0 victories in 2020.
The rivalry dates back to September 1946, making this series of victories particularly significant for the Three Lions.
