REECE JAMES saved Thomas Tuchel from a seriously uncomfortable night by bending home a David Beckham-esque free-kick on his England return. And referee Orel Grinfeeld rescued Jude Bellingham from disgrace as he allowed the Real Madrid Galactico to escape a needless second yellow card. Reece James scored a stunning free-kick to break the deadlock for England against LatviaCredit: PAJames’ goal was compared to David BeckhamCredit: GettyHarry Kane scored again as he doubled the score after the breakCredit: GettyEberechi Eze put the cherry on top after scoring off the benchCredit: PAAs England laboured against the 140th best national team in the world and the Latvia penalty box resembled an extension of the London congestion zone, Chelsea full-back James ended years of injury torment with a spectacular 25-yard opener. James had been Tuchel’s man of the match with an outstanding marking job on Raheem Sterling when his side defeated Manchester City in the 2021 Champions League Final. But since then he has suffered an extraordinary run of injuries and had not started a match for England since September 2022. Yet James lit up Wembley with a dead-ball effort which out-bent Beckham and rivalled the famous ‘banana kick’ effort by Brazilian superstar Roberto Carlos back in 1997. READ MORE IN FOOTBALLLate strikes from Harry Kane and Eberechi Eze gave the scoreline a respectable look. But it might have been very different had Bellingham received his just desserts for a stamp before half-time and a reckless lunge after the break. There have long been fears of Bellingham’s frustration boiling over, earning him a sending off in an England shirt – and this was as close as we’ve come. The Brummie was dismissed for swearing at a ref while playing for Real against Osasuna last month – and this was a serious let-off. Most read in FootballBEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UKThat second ‘bookable’ offence was ludicrous as it took place just outside the Latvian and could have proved costly with England just 1-0 up at the time. There were four changes from Friday’s routine defeat of Albania – Morgan Rogers given a full debut in place of Curtis Jones, with Jarrod Bowen replacing the underwhelming Phil Foden on the right flank.I plucked Thomas Tuchel out of his job working in a bar in Stuttgart before he became England boss, reveals Man Utd flopIn defence, Tuchel selected two of his Chelsea old boys – Marc Guehi, who he sold to Crystal Palace, as well as James.England had never previously played Latvia but our Lionesses defeated their women 20-0 and on balance of play, this was almost as one-sided.Still, this was a ‘top-of-the-table’ clash given that Latvia’s little-hopers had defeated the no-hopers of Andorra 1-0 on Friday.In case you weren’t excited enough by that prospect, there were massive orange fireworks and a rendition of a drum-and-bass tune called Thomas Tuchel’s Army, which doesn’t sound as if it is going to catch on.While Latvia is crying out for more NATO military presence in case of Russian aggression, there were dozens of British servicemen in the Wembley centre circle wobbling a giant flag.From the start, it was one of those qualifying fixtures which resembled not so much a football match as an obstacle course with Latvia largely impassive and sitting deep.Which made it all the more surprising when the first goalscoring chance went to the visitors.A speculative ball down the right caused a bizarre mix-up between Guehi and Jordan Pickford but Vladislavs Gutkovskis shot into the side-netting.Pickford was winning his 75th cap, drawing level with Gordon Banks and Joe Hart, leaving only Peter Shilton ahead of him in terms of England keepers.But, like his panicky collision with Dan Burn against Albania on Friday, this wasn’t his finest hour.Soon, though, England were peppering the Latvian goal. From a Declan Rice corner, Bellingham’s header cannoned off Marcus Rashford’s back and Ezri Konsa’s follow-up effort was pushed over by Krisjanis Zviedris.Kane headed over from a James centre when he ought to have scored and Bowen might have had a penalty when Zviedris brought him down while trying to collect a cross – but VAR said ‘no’.Rogers was lively on his first England start and Rashford was looking a little more menacing than he had against Albania, again without end product.But there was heavy traffic inside the Latvian box and, as the shots rained down, more ricochets than tin-pan alley.The answer to all these bodies in the way was to wallop one over their heads from 25 yards – and James duly did so.Myles Lewis-Skelly was fouled and James stepped up to fire home with power and what the pros like to call ‘swaz’.Just before the break, Konsa needed treatment after a spiteful barge from Gutkovskis and Rogers had a snap-shot well saved.It was unconvincing again and at the interval, Tuchel asked Rashford and Bowen to switch wings.Then came Belingham’s moment of madness. Booked for a lunge on Dmitrijs Zelenkovs before half-time, he leapt in on Raivis Jurkovskis near the corner and caught the Latvian’s leg.It looked to be a clear yellow-card offence but Israeli ref Orel Grinfeeld showed clemency.Tuchel sent on Eberechi Eze for Bowen as the paper planes began to rain down on the Wembley turf.Kane drilled one narrowly wide but it was becoming a tough watch before Kane put the result beyond doubt with England’s second, and his 71st in international football.Foden had just replaced Bellingham when Rashford and Rogers combined on the right and Rice made an artful run to square low for Kane to tap in.READ MORE SUN STORIESThen Eze jinked down the left and cut inside before his shot took a massive deflection off Antonijs Carnomordoijs.All’s well that ends well but there is little doubt that Bellingham dodged a bullet. More
