The England national team successfully defeated the Republic of Ireland national team with a landslide score of 5-0 in the 2024/2025 UEFA Nations League match held at Wembley, London, Sunday (11/17/2024).
All five of England’s winning goals were scored in the second half after Liam Scales’ red card. Harry Kane, Anthony Gordon, Conor Gallagher, Jarrod Bowen, and Taylor Harwood-Bellis registered their names on the scoreboard.
Thanks to this result, England is still perched at the top of Group 2 League B with 15 points. Meanwhile, Ireland is in third place with 6 points.
England dominated the match from the start. However, Lee Carsley’s team still had difficulty breaking down Ireland’s layered defense.
As if at a dead end, England had difficulty scoring goals. Ball possession reaching over 70 percent and eight shots launched could not change the score in the first half.
Continuing the attack in the second half, England got a penalty in the 52nd minute after Jude Bellingham was fouled by Liam Scales. Not only did they get the advantage from the white spot, the Three Lions squad also had an advantage in the number of players because the referee gave Scales a second yellow card.
Kane, who stepped forward as the penalty taker, had no difficulty completing the opportunity. His gesture deceived goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher, and the ball went into the goal. England led 1-0.
England, coached by Lee Carsley from Ireland, made good use of the advantage in the number of players. Only three minutes after Kane’s penalty goal, England changed the score again.
Valentino Livramento’s crossing which failed to be cleared properly by Josh Cullen and Nathan Collins became an easy meal for Anthony Gordon. The score became 2-0.
England’s two-goal advantage did not last long. Entering the 58th minute, Connor Gallagher met Marc Guehi’s header that maximized Noni Madueke’s corner kick. England scored a 3-0 lead in just five minutes.
Jarod Bowen entered in the 75th minute. Less than a minute on the field, Bowen received a pass from Bellingham. Bowen’s accurate kick made the ball nest in the Irish goal. The score changed to 4-0.
Bowen followed Gordon and Gallagher who recorded debut goals for the England national team.
Not wanting to be outdone by his three colleagues who scored their first goals at international level, Taylor Harwood-Bellis also scored a goal in the 80th minute. The Southampton player had only entered in the 62nd minute replacing Kyle Walker. It was even more special for Harwood-Bellis because this was his first match wearing the England national team jersey at senior level.
This victory brought England to the top of the UEFA Nations League B Group 2 standings. England is also entitled to a promotion ticket to the UEFA Nations League A.