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.
37’ - England 0-0 Ireland
Much of the noise is coming from the Ireland fans, who have cheered every time a cross has been headed away, which has happened quite a few times already.
England have lacked invention so far and it may be pertinent that some of their 10 withdrawals are among their players likeliest to make something happen out of nothing, in Phil Foden, Cole Palmer and Bukayo Saka. So far, Ireland have tried to sit deep enough to negate the pace of Anthony Gordon.
37’ - England 0-0 Ireland
Ireland fans want a penalty as Ferguson chases the long ball forward and goes down under the challenge from Walker, but the England man got the ball.
England go up the other end on the counter but it comes to nothing as Madueke runs into the defender.
35’ - England 0-0 Ireland
Play is back underway, and Szmodics looks like he might be okay to play on.
England try to launch at attack straight away, but it ends with Bellingham hooking over a speculative effort from outside the box.
Not a great game from Carsley’s men so far.
32’ - England 0-0 Ireland
There’s a coming together in the middle of the pitch as Szmodics slipped and Gallagher ran into him. The Ireland man looks like he’s in a lot of pain at the moment.
On the replay, it actually looks more like Szmodics might have gone down under no challenge and then fallen into Gallagher.
There’s a break in play here.
29’ - England 0-0 Ireland
Another England attack creates some pinball in the Ireland area and the ball falls to Madueke, who’d delivered the original cross. He tries to get a shot through but it bounces off a green shirt, and his appeal for a penalty is waved away.
England win a corner which is played short. Guehi tries the one-two with Bellingham, but his chipped through ball has just a bit too much on it.
27’ - England 0-0 Ireland
England create their first half chance in a while as Gordon is found on the overlap, but his low cross is cleared.
The home side build again, before Livramento is forced backwards.
24’ - England 0-0 Ireland
Another England attack falls to nothing as Gallagher and Madueke caren’t on the same wavelength. Kelleher launches it long, and Gordon wins it back quickly.
At the other end of the pitch, the Newcastle man commits a foul when chasing the long ball.
Very stop-start so far, with the home side unable to get any real rhythm going.
22’ - England 0-0 Ireland
Ireland knock it long to Ferguson, who’s wrestling with Guehi on the edge of the box. Both go down, but the decision goes in favour of the Englishman.
19’ - England 0-0 Ireland
Bellingham makes England’s first foray into the box for a little while, but he’s forced to backheel it to Gordon and England build again. They recycle possession and try and feed in Kane, but there’s just a bit too much on it.
England 0-0 Ireland
Nathan Collins is playing in midfield, a lovely call-back to when Jack Charlton had so many centre-backs in his team he played Paul McGrath in midfield.
The Irish legion of centre-backs have been passive so far, but organised, preventing England from fashioning a major chance. Noni Madueke, who also began brightly against Greece on Thursday, has looked the most dynamic player on the pitch thus far.
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