England v Ireland LIVE: Nations League result as Taylor Harwood-Bellis scores on debut in thrashing
England 5-0 Ireland: Four players scored their first international goal - including debutant Harwood-Bellis - as the Three Lions returned to the top tier of the Nations League
England secured promotion back to the top tier of the Nations League with a 5-0 thashing of 10-man Republic of Ireland in interim manager Lee Carsley’s last game in charge at Wembley.
After a turgid first half, Harry Kane’s penalty, Anthony Gordon’s volley and a tap-in by Conor Gallagher in the space of five minutes at the start of the second broke Ireland’s resolve.
Jarrod Bowen made it 4-0 with a crisp shot from the edge of the area, his first touch after coming off the bench, before debutant Taylor Harwood-Bellis headed England’s fifth.
Ireland played virtually the whole of the second half with 10 men after Liam Scales was sent off for a foul on Jude Bellingham that resulted in England’s penalty.
75’ - England 3-0 Ireland
Bellingham wins a free-kick near the touchline on the left, and it’ll be a good chance to cross in.
Before it’s taken, England make a triple change – Gordon, Gallagher and Madueke are replaced by Jarrod Bowen, Morgan Rogers and Dominic Solanke.
72’ - England 3-0 Ireland
England continue to pile on the pressure, with Kane and Madueke both going close to creating openings for themselves.
The home side are lining up a few more changes.
69’ - England 3-0 Ireland
Madueke swings in another dangerous cross but Kelleher does well to get it away. The home side are now completely dominant in possession, as you’d expect.
67’ - England 0-0 Ireland
Ireland make two substitutions as Ebosele and Ferguson make way for Manning and Troy Parrott.
65’ - England 3-0 Ireland
Bellingham leads the counter from the corner and he feeds in Kane, who slips it to Jones, but his cutback falls short of Madueke.
63’ - England 3-0 Ireland
Promotion beckons for England after a quickfire treble. Which, as Greece took the lead in Finland around the time Harry Kane opened the scoring, was timely. So solid for 50 minutes, Ireland have now conceded three times in eight. They may count the cost of Liam Scales' rather needless first booking; when he got the second for fouling Jude Bellingham, they lost their sense of organisation. But first England goals for Anthony Gordon and Conor Gallagher, two who have had to graft their way to the top, were wonderful moments for them.
63’ - England 3-0 Ireland
Gallagher’s attempted rabona from the edge of the box sums up England’s mood at the moment. Ireland have really fallen apart after the red card.
61’ - England 3-0 Ireland
England are playing with abandon now, as you might expect. Lee Carsley is lining up some subs now.
Taylor Harwood-Bellis comes on for his debut, and he replaces Kyle Walker.
58’ GOAL! - England 3-0 Ireland
England win their seventh corner of the night and it’s a great delivery from Madueke. Guehi gets a flick on at the near post, directing it diagonally towards the far post, and Gallagher pokes in from about two yards out for 3-0!
It was 0-0 six minutes ago!
55’ - GOAL! England 2-0 Ireland
And straight away, England have another goal!
They’ve threatened since the first goal but they get lucky here. Livramento gets free down the right and clips in a ball that should be dealt with easily, but it bounces off the Ireland defenders and into the path of Gordon, who rifles in a volley from close range!
Great finish from the Newcastle man.
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