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
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
35 mins
A half chance for England as Bellingham plays a lovely diagonal to Rice, who brings it down on the edge of the six-yard box, but he can’t get clean contact on the shot and it’s deflected behind.
Palmer’s corner is a good one, but Rice can’t divert the header goalwards.
Finland 0-1 England
33 mins
Alexander-Arnold is providing plenty of width from left-back, as opposed to the inverted role he was playing against Ireland last month.
Finland break and it’s two-v-three as Keskinen carries, but he ends up rifling a shot straight at Henderson while under pressure from Stones.
Finland 0-1 England
31 mins
England cut out another Finland attack and try to launch one of their own, with Kane holding up well on halfway before Palmer plays a sloppy through ball to Bellingham, which itself is cut out.
Finland 0-1 England
29 mins
Encouraging signs from Finland as they string a few passes together on the edge of the England box before Keskinen is given offside.
Moments later, his cross is deflected behind for a corner after a good block from Walker.
Alho takes but it fails to beat Alexander-Arnold as the first defender.
Finland 0-1 England
27 mins
There’s a bit of a lull in activity over the last few minutes, before Angel Gomes goes down to receive some treatment.
77 per cent possession for England so far in Helsinki.
Finland 0-1 England
25 mins
A warning for England as Keskinen’s cross narrowly misses Kallman.
Finland 0-1 England
23 mins
England absolutely dominant in possession at the moment. Not much in the way of attacking threat since their goal, but they look like they’re biding their time ominously.
Finland 0-1 England
20 mins
England want another, and quickly, but Kane is penalised around halfway.
There’s some good covering work from Guehi to win the foot race as he ran towards his own goal, but Henderson clears it straight to a Finnish shirt.
GOAL! Finland 0-1 England
18 mins
GOAL! Lovely stuff from England.
Grealish, Kane and Gomes combine on the edge of the box and Gomes manages to spin and slip through a brilliant reverse through ball into the path of the onrushing Grealish, who is clean through and opens his body up to slot past Hradecky into the far corner.
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