England 3-1 Finland (Oct 13, 2024) Match analysis

England celebrated a 3-1 win over Finland at Helsinki's Olympic Stadium on Sunday thanks to goals from Jack Grealish, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Declan Rice, getting their Nations League campaign back on track after Thursday's humiliating defeat to Greece.

England are second in Group B2 with nine points after four games and level on points with leaders Greece, who host Ireland later on Sunday, while Finland are bottom without a point.

“I think we could have scored a few more goals, especially towards the end when the game started,” Grealish told ITV.

“It was difficult at times in the first half, but we went into the game with a one-goal lead at halftime and then I think we dominated the game.”

Grealish opened the scoring with his fourth England goal in the 18th minute when Angel Gomes turned and slid a clever pass into the path of the winger, who pushed the ball past goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky and into the far corner.

Alexander-Arnold then sent a free-kick from 20 meters over the wall and into the top corner in the 74th minute, before Rice tapped in substitute Ollie Watkins' cross 10 minutes later after a fast run from midfield.

Photo by Michael Regan – The FA/The FA via Getty Images

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Arttu Hoskonen equalized for Finland in the 87th minute with a header from a corner, with the error in the English defense leading to goalkeeper Dean Henderson keeping a clean sheet on his first appearance.

“In the end we were a bit disappointed as players when we conceded a goal from a set-piece. The birth of his daughter last month.

England interim coach Lee Carsley made six changes since the chaotic 2-1 defeat to Greece at Wembley, with captain Harry Kane returning from injury to lead the side.

England also reverted to a more conventional formation after Carsley's experimental formation without a main striker failed miserably against the Greeks.

Carsley has been under observation since the defeat, which was the first since Gareth Southgate resigned as England coach after Euro 2024.

Sunday's victory at the stadium that hosted the 1952 Olympics kept England's hopes of automatic promotion to League A of the Nations League alive after being relegated last time out.

They need to finish top of the group to secure an automatic spot in the competition's top category, which will likely mean a win when they play Greece again in Athens on November 14.

Finland will rue the missed chances as England led 1-0, including two from Fredrik Jensen, who shot narrowly wide in the first half and, missing a keeper, fired the ball over the goal from close range early in the second half and buried his head in his hands.