England 5-0 Ireland: Four players score first goals, Three Lions rise to the top

The game is over and the final score is England: 5-0 Ireland. Here is the match report.

UEFA Nations League 2024/2025

5-0

Competition events

At half-time, a debate raged over the future of England captain Harry Kane.

Within six minutes of the restart, Kane had effectively won this match – and this Nations League group – with one masterful pass and a penalty.

At 31 years old and with plenty of miles under his belt, Kane is no longer as mobile as he used to be – and during a frustrating first 45 minutes he struggled to touch the ball and was pushed into distraction.

Yet class is here to stay and Kane proved that with one brilliant pass, which set up Jude Bellingham for a penalty, reduced Ireland to ten men and gave the England captain his 69th international goal.

Five minutes later England were 3-0 up and got going after Anthony Gordon and Conor Gallagher both scored their first goals for the Three Lions when Ireland's attempt to park the bus was met by Eval Knievel by Lee Carsley's men .

Jarrod Bowen also broke his international duck and Taylor Harwood-Bellis nodded shortly after arriving for his debut as a substitute.

Carsley's six-match stint as interim boss must now be seen as an overall success as England secured promotion to the top tier of the Nations League with five wins in six – and two comprehensive wins this week.

The idea that new England boss Thomas Tuchel might not want Kane as his first choice central striker always felt far-fetched.

Last year the German made it his personal mission to sign Kane for Bayern Munich, for whom he has now scored 61 goals in as many appearances.

On Thursday in Athens, Kane was dropped for the first time in living memory for a meaningful match as Carsley handed a start to Ollie Watkins, who scored the opener as England scored an impressive 3-0 win.

That was a good glimpse of a useful plan B for Tuchel – Watkins' pace was a very different proposition to Kane's many attributes.

But for now, Kane as number 9 is still the obvious Plan A. England need his experience, his knowledge and his huge number of goals.

In addition to a recall for Kane, there was also a debut for Newcastle's Tino Livramento at right-back, but Carsley largely remained loyal to the team that won so convincingly in Athens on Thursday.

There was mutual cheering of the national anthems and the usual massive deployment of British soldiers on the Wembley pitch, which must have thrilled the away fans.

At least they wouldn't have to tolerate former Irish players scoring against them this time, after early goals from Declan Rice and Jack Grealish condemned them to a 2-0 defeat in Dublin in September.

The boys in green had a nice voice and lots of ironic cheering for every English misfortune – but it was the hosts who were in charge.

Noni Madueke fooled his full-back with some early trickery, allowing Curtis Jones to deflect a shot.

And from the resulting corner, Kyle Walker, operating as a centre-back, reached the near post and fired a header into the roof of the net.

Bellingham produced some eye-catching moments, but England did their utmost to break down the massive Irish defense.

On one occasion, Madueke wriggled free, only to be confronted by seven Irishmen tucked into the six-yard box.

There were occasional Irish counter-attacks: Sammie Szmodics asking for a penalty after a clumsy Walker challenge.

Kane struggled to get involved and was taken out by a tough challenge from Liam Scales.

Madueke then made a wild challenge on Callum O'Dowda, earning a booking for himself as well as a booking from Bellingham for a pointless protest.

Kane's frustrations manifested themselves in first-half stoppage time, first with him retreating close to his centre-backs to collect a pass from Jordan Pickford simply to get involved.

But then the England captain tangled with Jayson Molumby, dragging him to the ground – with both players being warned by Belgian referee Erik Lambrechts.

But in the 51st minute, Kane decided this game with a glorious pass from the left wing, picking out Bellingham, who was upended by Scales.

The Celtic defender received his second yellow card and Kane coolly dealt the penalty after a deliberate stutter in his run-up.

Kane celebrated wildly, as if remembering Thursday night's rare stupidity.

Ireland's reduction in manpower was immediately evident as Livramento burst down the right and produced a cross that deflected two Irish defenders before Gordon sent home a volley for a goal that was scored and ended in Newcastle.

The quick third came from a Madueke corner, with Marc Guehi flying to the near post to win a header that was deflected away by Gallagher off the back stick as he stayed ahead of Bellingham to get the crucial touch.

Bowen – who has apparently been the subject of a sustained campaign from gobby West Ham fans towards Carsley – then arrived as a substitute and scored a beauty with his first touch.

A free-kick was played too short and Bellingham cut back to allow Bowen to tap the ball home for the first time from the edge of the penalty area.

Harwood-Bellis – whose future father-in-law is Roy Keane – then arrived for his debut and promptly added the fifth with a downward header from a glorious Bellingham centre.

By the way, Bellingham had been beautiful again. He is as surely England's No. 10 as Kane is the starting No. 9.

0' The match is about to start!

5' Madueke enters the penalty area, but his cross is cleared and Jones' shot is deflected

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6' Kyle Walker jumps unnoticed from the corner, but heads over

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9' Gordon's throw is cleared close to the post, after which his cross is held by Kelleher

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24' Highlight of England vs Ireland

30' Bellingham rushes into the penalty area for the pass, but he cannot direct his shot on target

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36' Szmodics goes down after a collision with Walker, but the referee does not call a penalty

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41' An unnecessary challenge that results in a booking for Madueke

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47' Harry Kane and Jayson Molumby both receive a yellow card after the match

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52' Harry Kane scores the penalty and opens the scoring! England 1-0 Ireland

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55' Gordon scores his first goal for England! England 2-0 Ireland

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58' Conor Gallagher drives to the back post! England 3-0 Ireland

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63' Conor Gallagher tries a rabona from just outside the penalty area

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74' Bowen's first touch results in his first goal for England! England 4-0 Ireland

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79' Harwood-Bellis gets up and scores a header! England 5-0 Republic of Ireland

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88' Highlight of England vs Ireland

Setups

England XI: Walker, Kane, Pickford, Guehi, Conor Gallagher, Gordon, Tino Livramento, Curtis Jones, Noni Madueke, Jude Bellingham, Lewis Hall

Subs: Dean Henderson, Solanke, Bowen, Ollie Watkins, Angel Gomes, Gibbs-White, Morgan Rogers, Harwood-Bellis, James Trafford, Jarell Quansah, Rico Lewis

Republic of Ireland XI: O'Dowda, Sammie Szmodics, Kelleher, Josh Cullen, Molumby, O'Shea, Liam Scales, Nathan Collins, Evan Ferguson, Mark McGuinness, Festy Ebosele

Subs: Doherty, Ryan Manning, Max O'Leary, Travers, Mikey Johnston, Finn Azaz, Coventry, Parrott, Andrew Moran, Kasey McAteer, Jake O'Brien, Tom Cannon