ENGLAND are now top of their Nations League group after thrashing Greece 3-0 in Athens.
Noni Madueke assisted Ollie Watkins for the opener before the Greece keeper’s unfortunate own goal made it two.
And then Curtis Jones’ sublime flick competed the romp, sending Lee Carsley’s men to the top of the group.
- RESULT: Greece 0-3 England
- TV channel: ITV1
- FREE live stream: ITVX
- Greece starting team: Vlachodimos, Rota, Koulierakis, Mavropanos, Tsimikas, Siopis, Zafeiris, Bakasetas, Masouras, Tzolis, Pavlidis
- England starting team: Pickford; Walker, Konsa, Guehi, Lewis; Jones, Gallagher; Gordon, Bellingham, Madueke; Watkins
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Fans using laser
A section of the home crowd kept using lasers during England’s 3-0 win over Greece at OAKA.
Photos show the likes of Jude Bellingham, Jordan Pickford and Noni Madueke being targeted.
This comes after last month’s Conference League clash between Panathinaikos and Chelsea in the same ground.
The Blues’ stars were also being pointed at by the lasers from the crowd.
Jude Bellingham speaks
England superstar Jude Bellingham hailed his team-mates after all the drama that saw nine team-mates dropping out.
Good win, important win. A lot made of the lads not here but the lads who are here showed up.
Really proud of the boys tonight.
The lads did their business crucially.
Jude Bellingham
Credit: PA Lee Carsley reacts
England interim boss Lee Carsley praised his players but is now only looking forward to his last match in charge on Sunday against the Republic of Ireland at Wembley before Thomas Tuchel takes over.
We are moving in the right direction. Big game on Sunday at Wembley. Important we now recover and get ready for that.
It was important that the players played to their strength. It was about players getting an opportunity and we saw that tonight.
Curtis [Jones] is an outstanding player and I am delighted for him. These players play week in and week out in the Premier League.
[Morgan] Rogers has been really good for [Aston] Villa and maybe could have been in the senior squad sooner.
Lee Carsley
Credit: Getty
Dave Kidd from Athens
No permanent manager, no captain in the starting line-up and precious few senior players bothering to turn up.
And yet it was no sweat for England to regain control of their Nations League group and gain revenge for last month’s Wembley embarrassment.
It was a night when interim boss Lee Carsley placed his trust in several of his own Under-21 European champions – and gave Thomas Tuchel plenty of food for thought.
Why Tuchel wasn’t in the dugout, heaven alone knows, and why he wasn’t in the Greek capital to watch is also a mystery.
But while the German enjoys his sabbatical, Carsley enjoyed the best night of his brief reign – just when the cards all seemed stacked against him.
He made a major call in starting skipper Harry Kane on the bench, then watched his replacement Ollie Watkins bag an early opener before an own goal from keeper Odysseas Vlachodimos and a sweet strike from debutant Curtis Jones earned a convincing victory.
And all this after a dozen members of his squad were ruled out through injuries, genuine or otherwise.
That third goal created by Morgan Gibbs-White and finished by Liverpool midfielder Jones had Carsley’s signature stamped all over it.
And another member of Carsley’s triumphant Under-21s from last year – Noni Madueke – was the best player on the pitch, creating Watkins’s opener with pace and intelligence.
Credit: Reuters England player ratings
Here’s how SunSport’s Tom Barclay rates each England star after their 3-0 win over Greece.
Jordan Pickford: 8
Kyle Walker: 7
Marc Guehi: 7
Ezri Konsa: 7
Rico Lewis: 7
Curtis Jones: 9
Conor Gallagher: 7
Noni Madueke: 9
Jude Bellingham: 8
Anthony Gordon: 7
Ollie Watkins: 7
SUBS
Lewis Hall: 7
Harry Kane: 6
Morgan Rogers: 8
Jarrod Bowen: 7
Morgan Gibbs-White: 7
Credit: Reuters Charlie Wyett from Athens
It is difficult to remember an England starting XI which, on paper at least, looked as totally underwhelming as this one.
Yet manager-in-waiting Thomas Tuchel, presumably watching the game at his home in Bavaria, will have been hugely encouraged by this performance from what appeared to be a complete mish-mash of a team – and one which was awfully short of experience.
Jordan Pickford, Kyle Walker and Jude Bellingham were the only established players who started last night with their combined number of caps totalling 200.
Incredibly, the other eight players had managed just 78 senior appearances between them.
Undoubtedly, the moment of the night came from the heel of Curtis Jones who capped a fine debut performance with a brilliantly cheeky effort for 3-0.
Yet the performance of the evening in the Greek capital came from Noni Madueke who celebrated his fourth cap – and first start – with a menacing display down the right and it was a surprise he was substituted in the 66th minute by interim boss Lee Carsley.
Credit: Getty Tom Barclay from Athens
Full-time and a great win that means England will win the group provided they beat Republic of Ireland on Sunday.
Lee Carsley really showed what he is capable of here and provided they do win at the weekend, his interim reign will look, in time, a relative success under trying circumstances.
Barring that one maverick formation against Greece at Wembley last month which obviously backfired!
England looked full of threat with the pace in the attacking areas which freed up Jude Bellingham, while Curtis Jones excelled on debut.
Jones, Madueke and Gibbs-White were all huge parts of Carsley’s Under-21 Euros triumph last summer and they made big contributions here too.
Credit: Reuters Updated Nations League table
England are now in full control of their destiny in their Nations League group.
The Three Lions are top of Group 2 and just need to beat the Republic of Ireland on Sunday to return to League A.
The Greeks have sealed second place and could have an ace in the hole if they can’t qualify for the 2026 World Cup via the qualifying phase.
That is of course if England qualify automatically from their own qualifying phase.
More below:
Greece vs England stats
England dominated 56n per cent of possession against Greece in a sold out OAKA.
The Three Lions registered nine shots, five of which were on target.
The Greeks, on the other hand, produced 10 shots, half of which were on target.
More below:
FT: Greece 0-3 England
England are top of their Nations League group after a dominant victory despite a raft of absences.
The Three Lions visited Greece at OAKA without nine key players and captain Harry Kane on the bench.
But Kane’s replacement Ollie Watkins got the visitors on the front foot after just seven minutes when Jude Bellingham released Noni Madueke with a brilliant ball and the Chelsea ace found the Aston Villa star in the penalty area.
The Greeks huffed and puffed but England got their precious second on 77 minutes when Bellingham’s shot rattled the post and the incoming Conor Gallagher got the rebound that led to goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos’ own-goal.
And Lee Carsley’s side sealed the three points as well as the top thanks to the debuting Curtis Jones who hit Vlachodimos’ bottom right corner after a brilliant assist by Morgan Gibbs-White seven minutes before full-time.
Credit: Getty FT: Greece 0-3 England
Peep!
England have topped their Nations League group!!!
90+2 Greece 0-3 England
Chance
Greece vice captain Mantalos delivers a sharp shot that Pickford palms away.
90 Greece 0-3 England
Four minutes of stoppage time to go.
We’re seeing flares getting lit from the home end and the lasers haven’t stopped all night.
88 Greece 0-3 England
I’m starting to see empty seats at a sold-out OAKA.
The home crowd can’t be heard at all, but the away end is in full swing.
86 Greece 0-3 England
Chance
Kane tries an awkward shot from a tight corner down the right before losing his ballance.
The ball goes way over the crossbar!
83 Greece 0-3 England
Debut goal for Jones who has been amazing tonight!
Bowen finds Gibbs-White in the box, who cuts it back for the Liverpool ace who fires it past Vlachodimos’ bottom right corner.
Credit: PA 83 Greece 0-3 England
Goal!
Jones scores on his debut!!!
80 Greece 0-2 England
Substitution
Greece boss Jovanovic brings on Mantalos who replaces Siopis.
78 Greece 0-2 England
Substitution
England boss Carsley brings on Gibbs-White, who replaces Gallagher immediately after he greatly contributed to the second goal.
77 Greece 0-2 England
They did it! Revenge for the loss at Wembley!
Rogers released Bellingham with a fantastic pass and the Real Madrid star delivered a stunning shot from the edge of the area that hit the post.
The incoming Gallagher got the rebound and Vlachodimos sent the balls to his own net inadvertently.
Credit: Getty 78 Greece 0-2 England
Goal!!!
Gallagher! Or is it an own-goal???
76 Greece 0-1 England
Greece are pushing very hard for an equaliser with their attackign substitutes.
Giannoulis delivers a ball from the left and Tzolis gets a touch but it’s too heavy and goes out of play.
73 Greece 0-1 England
Chance!
England captain Kane tried his first shot of the match but it goes straight to Vlachodimons.
Beautiful pass by Rogers on his debut.
73 Greece 0-1 England
Very thunderous ovations from the Greek crowd when Konstantelias and Ioannidis came on.
The two have been revelations at their clubs PAOK and Panathinaikos respectively.
Ntelias was linked with Salzburg and Benfica in the summer, while Ipswich, Leicester, Bologna and Lazio wanted Ioannidis.
72 Greece 0-1 England
Greece are still top of the group as England need another goal.
Reminding you the Three Lions need to win by a two-goal margin!
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
