Reece James saved Thomas Tuchel from a serious uncomfortable night by bending a David Beckham-like free-kick on his return to England.
Match report
Referee Orel Grinfeeld saved Jude Bellingham from shame when he allowed the Real Madrid Galactico to escape from an unnecessary second yellow card.
While England worked against the 140th best national team in the world and the Latvia Penalty Box looked like an expansion of the congestonone in London, Chelsea Full-back James ended years of injuries with a spectacular open 25-meter.
James had been Tuchel's husband of the game with an excellent marking track on Raheem Sterling when his party Manchester City defeated in the final of the Champions League 2021.
But since then he has suffered an extraordinary series of injuries and has not started a competition for England since September 2022.
Nevertheless, James Wembley relieved with a dead ball effort that Beckham and the famous 'Banana-Kick' effort of the Brazilian superstar Roberto Carlos in 1997.
Late strikes from Harry Kane and Ebereechi Eze gave the score a respectable look.
But it might have been very different if Bellingham had received his righteous desserts for a stamp for the break and a reckless failure after the break.
There have long been fear of transferring the frustration of Bellingham, earning him a broadcast in a shirt from England – and this was as close as we got.
The Brummie was fired for cursing at a ref while he played for Real against Osasuna last month – and this was a serious resignation.
The second 'bookable' attack was ridiculous because it took place just outside the Latvian and at the time expensive with England with England.
There were four changes from the routine defeat of Friday of Albania – Morgan Rogers received a full debut instead of Curtis Jones, where Jarrod Bowen replaced the overwhelming Phil Foden to the right flank.
In defense, Tuchel selected two of his old boys from Chelsea – Marc Guehi, whom he sold to Crystal Palace, as well as James.
England had never played in Latvia, but our lionesses beat their wives 20-0 and in the balance of the game this was almost as one-sided.
Yet this was a 'top-of-the-table' collision considering that the little Hopers of Latvia had defeated the no-buyers of Andorra 1-0 on Friday.
In the event that you were not enthusiastic enough because of that prospect, there were huge orange fireworks and a rendition of a drum-and-bass-melody called the army of Thomas Tuchel, which does not sound like it is going.
While Latvia is screaming for more NATO -military presence in the case of Russian aggression, there were dozens of British soldiers in the Wembley Center Circle who wobbled a gigantic flag.
From the beginning it was one of those qualifying luminaires that did not look so much on a football match as an obstacle course with Latvia that was largely unwavering and deep.
That made it all the more surprising when the first target group opportunity went to the visitors.
A speculative ball left caused a bizarre mix between Guehi and Jordan Pickford, but Vladislavs Gutkovskis shot in the side.
Pickford won his 75th cap, drawing level with Gordon Banks and Joe Hart, so that only Peter Shilton left him in terms of English keepers.
But just like his panicky collision with Dan Burn against Albania on Friday, this was not his best hour.
But soon England was peppered the Latvian goal. From a Declan Rice Corner, the header of Jude Bellingham was channeled of Marcus Rashford and the follow -up effort of Ezri Konsa was pushed over by Krisjanis Zviedris.
Kane went out of a James Center when he had to score and Jarrod Bowen might have had a penalty when Zviedris brought him down while trying to collect a cross – but Var said 'no'.
Rogers was lively at his first start of England and Rashford looked a bit threatening than he had against Albania, again without an end product.
But there was heavy traffic in the Latvian box and, while the shots rained, more ricochets rose than Tin-pan.
The answer to all these bodies in the way was to walk one over their heads from 25 meters – and James did it properly.
Myles Lewis-Skelly was polluted and James stepped on to fire home with power and what the professionals like to call 'Swaz'.
Just before the break, Konsa needed treatment after a hateful barge of Gutkovskis and Rogers had stored a snap shot well.
It was again not convincing and with interval early Tuchel Rashford and Bowen to change wing.
Then came the moment of madness of Belingham. Booked for a lung on Dmitrijs Zelenkovs before half -time, he jumped in on Raivis Jurkovskis at the corner and caught the leg of the Latvian.
It seemed like a clear yellow-card violation, but Israeli Refel Grinfeeld showed Clementia.
Tuchel sent Ebereechi Eze for Bowen when the paper planes started to rain on the Wembley grass mat.
Kane drilled a scary wide, but it became a difficult watch before Kane brought the result without a doubt with the second of England, and his 71st in international football.
Foden had just replaced Bellingham when Rashford and Rogers combined on the right and Rice made an artistic run to Square Low for Kane to tap.
Then Eze threw left and cut in before his shot took a huge deflection from Antonijs Carnomordoijs.
Everything is good that ends well, but there is little doubt that Bellingham has avoided a bullet.
Match -Events
0 'The game is about to start!
6 'A crunching challenge from Reece James even has Tuchel shivering from the sidelines
10 'Rice has a shot from outside the box and it is blocked by Latvia Defender
17 'Highlight from England versus Latvia
19 'A mix between Pickford and Guehi leads to a golden opportunity for Gutkovskis
20 'Rashford goes extended in the penalty area, but the referee says no punishment
22 'Konsa gets the ball up close, but Zviedris produces a brilliant salvation
23 'Harry Kane passes from Reece James' Cross
32 'Rashford's Cross thinks Bellingham, who gets a shot wide
35 'competition event for England versus Latvia
40 'goal! Reece James' Beckham style Free-Kick opens the score! England 1-0 Latvia
41 'Bellingham has been booked for a bad challenge
54 'Highlight from England versus Latvia
57 'Bellingham, who is on a booking, sends Raivis Jurkovskis vast
62 'Jarrod Bowen makes way for Ebereechi Eze
64 'Harry Kane with a big chance from around 18 meters, but it is wide
67 'Bellingham, who may be lucky to still be on the field, is being replaced by Foden
68 'goal! Rice finds Kane who doubles the management! England 2-0 Latvia
76 'goal! Eze's effort takes a deflection into the net! England 3-0 Latvia
85 'another big chance for Konsa and another salvation by Krisjanis Zviedris
Line-ups
England XI: Kane, Pickford, Bowen, Rice, Rashford, Ngoyo, Reece James, Guehi, Morgan Rogers, Bellingham, Lewis-SKILY
Subs: Henderson, Walker, Burn, Dean Henderson, Solanke, Foden, Gibbs-White, Ebereechi Eze, Curtis Jones, James Trafford, Quansah, Colwill
Latavia XI: Roberts SavalniKs, Vladislavs Gutkovskis, Janis Ikaunieks, Andrejs Ciganiks, AntoniJs Cernomordijs, Raivis Jurkovskis, Daniels Balodis, Krisjanis Zviedris, Aleksejs Saveljevs, Alvis JAunzems, Alvis JAunzems, Alvis JAunzems, Alvis Jaunzems, Alvis Jaunzems, Alvis Jaunzems, Dmis Jaunzems, Dmitrij Zelenkovs
Subs: Vitalijs Jagodinskis, Vjaceslavs IsaJevs, Roberts Ozols, Rihards Matrevics, Maksims Tonisevs, Raimonds Krollis, Niks Sliede, Lukass Vapne, Eduards Daskevics, Deniss Melniks, Dario's Melniks, Dario's Melniks, Dario's Melniks, Dario's Melniks, Dario
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