England 3-0 Latvia: Three Lions continue strong start under Tuchel with comfortable win
England secured their second consecutive victory in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign, achieving a 3-0 win over Latvia, thanks to a remarkable free-kick from Reece James.
This victory extended their impressive unbeaten streak at home in qualifying matches to 30 games (27 wins and 3 draws).
After commencing the Thomas Tuchel era with a straightforward 2-0 win against Albania on Friday, England aimed to maintain their momentum with a strong start against Latvia.
As expected, the Three Lions quickly took control of the match. However, they were fortunate not to concede when Vladislavs Gutkovskis missed an open goal from close range following a defensive mix-up between Marc Guehi and Jordan Pickford.
Taking advantage of this let-off, Tuchel’s side intensified their efforts to find the opening goal. Ezri Konsa had a powerful shot deflected over the bar by Krisjanis Zviedris, and Harry Kane squandered a chance by heading over from eight yards.
As the first half drew to a close, England continued to dominate, and their persistent pressure finally resulted in a stunning goal when James curled a beautiful free-kick into the top corner, marking his first goal for the national team.
The second half began similarly, with England maintaining control and enjoying significant possession. The Latvian defense, however, remained resilient, restricting the hosts to limited clear opportunities, including a near miss from Kane, who curled a shot just wide from inside the box.
Determined to extend their lead, England finally scored again in the 68th minute when Declan Rice delivered a low cross that Kane converted at the back post, marking his 71st goal for the Three Lions.
This effectively secured the win for Tuchel's team, who scored a third goal with 15 minutes left on the clock, as substitute Eberechi Eze marked his first international goal with a low shot that took a deflection.
In the final moments, the visitors managed to prevent any additional goals, with Zviedris making impressive saves against Morgan Rogers and Kane, allowing England to comfortably finish the match and claim three points in their inaugural encounter with the opposing nation.
SportsLigue