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Finland v England LIVE: Nations League result as Trent Alexander-Arnold scores stunning free-kick in win

Finland 1-3 England: The Three Lions bounced back from a disappointing defeat to Greece at Wembley last time out

Chris Wilson
Sunday 13 October 2024 16:15 EDT
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Carsley and Guehi want England 'reaction' in Finland

England returned to winning ways against Finland as Trent Alexander-Arnold scored a stunning free-kick to lift Lee Carsley’s side to victory in Helsinki.

The full-back curled an excellent free-kick into the top corner from 25 yards to double England’s lead after the visitors had lost their momentum following Jack Grealish’s first-half opener.

Declan Rice then added a third for England on the counter-attack as Ollie Watkins came off the bench to make an impact after replacing Harry Kane. Finland pulled one back late on through a corner, with Arttu Hoskonen left unmarked.

But the result was a positive one for Carsley overall with the interim manager returning to a more conventional formation following the disastrous defeat at home to Greece on Friday, and three points gets England back on track in their Nations League campaign.

Follow all the latest reaction to England’s win below:

Finland 0-1 England

63 mins

Angel Gomes is the latest to try the effort from distance, but it goes wide as he tried to curl in.

Finland make two changes, as Schuller and Kallman make way for Leo Walta and Joel Pohjanpalo.

Chris Wilson13 October 2024 18:23

Finland 0-1 England

61 mins

We’ll see the first subs of the evening soon. England do look like they need to change something – they’re really lacking that final bit of quality at the moment.

Chris Wilson13 October 2024 18:21

Finland 0-1 England

58 mins

Other than the goal, that was by far the best chance of the game so far. Jensen can’t believe he’s missed.

Plenty more possession from England but they’re really struggling to unlock the Finland defence. Rice collects the loose ball on the edge of the box and drives a low shot straight at Hradecky.

Chris Wilson13 October 2024 18:18

Finland 0-1 England

56 mins

CLOSE!

Palmer uses his body well after a sloppy pass from Bellingham, but the chance goes begging again after Kane isn’t alert enough.

Finland launch a counter-attack and Keskinen bursts into the left-hand side of the box before fizzing in a cutback. Kallman misses it but it’s on a plate for Jensen, and he blasts over from around six yards!

(The FA via Getty Images)
Chris Wilson13 October 2024 18:16

Finland 0-1 England

54 mins

Very comfortable again for England at the moment. Kane holds up play and threads a lovely through ball into the path of the overlapping Walker, but he doesn’t have many options in the box and the chance goes begging.

Chris Wilson13 October 2024 18:14

‘A curious England performance’

“A curious England performance from England in Helsinki. They're winning, and they've obviously been much better than against Greece on Thursday, but that isn't necessarily the bar. The one thing that has already seemed clear from Carsley's four games is that they look so much closer to that classic positional game approach with Gomes in the team. He may not be perfect at - as seen with one bad pass backwards - but he is better than anyone England have. The pass through for Grealish's fine goal was divine. That is Carsley football at its best. The concern is they other side, as they have coughed up a lot of chances to a moderate side.”

(The FA via Getty Images)
Miguel Delaney in Helsinki 13 October 2024 18:13

Finland 0-1 England

52 mins

Good combination from Walker and Palmer as the latter releases Walker into the box before the City man’s cutback finds its way back to Palmer. He gets his shot through the bodies in the box, but it’s too close to Hradecky.

Chris Wilson13 October 2024 18:10

Finland 0-1 England

50 mins

Alexander-Arnold picks out Bellingham’s overlapping run, but it’s good defending from Hoskonen to stand up to the Madrid man’s dribble into the box.

Moments later, Alexander-Arnold tests Hradecky from distance, but it’s a simple save.

Chris Wilson13 October 2024 18:09

Finland 0-1 England

48 mins

Alexander-Arnold tries to whip it in with the outside of his foot but it goes straight behind for a goal kick.

England win possession back quickly though.

Chris Wilson13 October 2024 18:08

Finland 0-1 England

47 mins

Bellingham is dispossessed by Keskinen in the middle of the park, and he surges towards the box before laying it off to Kallman, but the pass was poor and it runs behind the striker.

(The FA via Getty Images)
Chris Wilson13 October 2024 18:07

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