England bounced back to winning form with a 3-1 triumph against Finland in the Nations League on Sunday, while Austria delivered a commanding 5-1 victory over Erling Haaland’s Norway.
Jack Grealish opened the scoring for England in the first half, followed by a stunning free-kick from Trent Alexander-Arnold. Declan Rice added a third in the final 20 minutes before Finland’s Arttu Hoskonen scored a late consolation goal for the hosts.
Interim manager Lee Carsley made key adjustments to the lineup after England’s disappointing loss to Greece on Thursday, opting for a more familiar setup. The changes paid off as England showcased improved control and creativity throughout the match. “The team responded really well. We scored three good goals, had massive possession, and created many chances. But there’s always room for improvement,” Carsley told ITV after the game.
Grealish struck in the 18th minute, finishing off a well-orchestrated 17-pass move. Angel Gomes, starting in central midfield, threaded a precise pass through the Finnish defense, allowing Grealish to calmly slot the ball past the goalkeeper. Despite Finland creating several chances, Dean Henderson was rarely tested in the England goal.
Alexander-Arnold, playing as a left-back instead of his usual right-back position for Liverpool, doubled England’s lead in the 74th minute with a brilliant 25-yard free-kick. Declan Rice sealed the victory six minutes from time, connecting with a cross from substitute Ollie Watkins. England now have three wins from four matches in Group B2. Finland, still winless, managed to double their goal tally for the tournament with Hoskonen’s late header.
Elsewhere, Greece maintained their lead at the top of the group, three points ahead of England, after a 2-0 win over the Republic of Ireland in Athens. Tasos Bakasetas opened the scoring with a powerful drive early in the second half, and Petros Mantalos added a second in stoppage time to keep Greece’s perfect record intact with four wins from four matches.
In another Group B3 encounter, Austria cruised to a 5-1 victory over Norway in Linz. Inter Milan striker Marko Arnautovic scored twice for the hosts, netting early in both halves. His first was a thunderous 20-yard strike off the crossbar in the 8th minute. Norway equalized through Alexander Sorloth, who headed home six minutes before the break, but Arnautovic restored Austria’s lead with a 49th-minute penalty after Christoph Baumgartner was fouled in the box.
Philipp Lienhart and Stefan Posch both scored from headers shortly after the hour mark, extending Austria’s advantage. Michael Gregoritsch added a fifth with another header, securing Austria’s second place in Group B3. Haaland endured a frustrating evening, with the Austrian defense successfully neutralizing the Manchester City star. His best opportunity came in the fifth minute when his shot struck the post.
Meanwhile, Slovenia moved level on points with Norway and Austria, claiming third place after a 1-0 win against Kazakhstan, thanks to Jan Mlakar’s second-half goal.
On Monday, Belgium will take on 2021 Nations League champions France, while Germany face off against the Netherlands in Munich.
