England took a 2-0 victory over Finland, with Harry Kane taking centre stage. Despite a few close calls, Kane stayed true to his belief that perseverance pays off, ultimately delivering a notable performance on the pitch celebrating his 100th cap for the national team. Undeterred by any setbacks, he remained tenacious, utilising his exceptional skill to secure the win for England.
Kane’s first goal came at the 57-minute mark at Wembley, when he shot high into Finland’s net, assisted by an excellent pass from Trent Alexander-Arnold. On this night, Alexander-Arnold also shone, impressing with the precision and power of his passes.
Kane’s second goal was similarly created from a clever play, set up again by Alexander-Arnold, who found the newcomer substitutes Noni Madueke. Madueke created a window of opportunity for Kane to strike again, affirming Kane’s Monday proclamation of wanting to reach 100 goals for England. Currently standing at 68 goals and aged 31, Kane’s ambition ought not to be doubted.
Lee Carsley, England’s temporary manager, was given another reason to rejoice, achieving his second consecutive win after defeating the Republic of Ireland 2-0 last Saturday in Dublin. The match was also marked by an appreciation of Kane’s contributions. In a departure from his usual style, Kane donned a pair of glitzy gold boots to commemorate his 100th cap for England, a distinction recognised pre-game with a golden cap gifted by Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole, fellow members of the ‘100 club’.
The match also included a touching tribute to Sven-Goran Eriksson, the former manager who died in August, which ended with a stirring round of applause.
Carsley could hardly contain his excitement at coaching the squad for the first time in Dublin, another unforgettable event in his career. He adjusted his initial defensive lineup significantly, with Alexander-Arnold being the only one retained from the match against Ireland. The main talking point, however, was Angel Gomes’ first start, positioned at the core of the midfield.
Discipline has been a staple of Carsley’s leadership, a quality he fervently seeks from the team. Another is adaptability, and the versatility he requires was apparent from the get-go, most noticeably with Alexander-Arnold’s shifts from his right-back position. Rico Lewis also had abundant freedom from the left-back, making his full England debut. Just as in the Ireland match, Declan Rice was positioned high within the right inside channel.
The stadium may have had vacant seats, but the crowd was substantial, all eagerly anticipating a goal from Kane. He was indeed pivotal in the first half, yet the awaited goal remained elusive.
Adam Ståhl couldn’t keep up with Anthony Gordon who crossed the ball early to Kane and instead of attempting a goal shot, Kane passed to Bukayo Saka. The Finnish defence managed to block access to Saka repeatedly.
Despite multiple attempts from Kane including a deflected volley and a low shot that challenged Lukas Hrádecky, the Finnish team’s final man often made crucial clearances right when Kane was about to break through. There was even a disallowed goal due to an offside call when Kane netted a header from Saka’s cross.
Alexander-Arnold was determined to facilitate a play, occasionally appearing on the left, and delivered some slick passes, most notably a reverse ball to Saka. This forced Hrádecky to react quickly to deflect Saka’s deflected shot.
England dominated the first half, but Finland also had moments to shine, none more significant than when Rasmus Schüller intercepted Rice and Topi Keskinen failed to score from the outskirts of the box. He could’ve passed to Teemu Pukki instead.
Previously, Lewis was compelled to launch a decisive attack to thwart Pukki, while Keskinen’s shot was directed just a little off-target. However, an unnoticed foul by Finland during the play was indeed picked up by the referee. Gomes saw a lot of the ball and handled it deftly and effectively. He often managed to retrieve it and put Finland under pressure while they were organising their game plan. Carsley was not mistaken; Gomes approaches the role of a central midfielder in a different manner, it is untraditional for an English player. Gomes was perpetually open and ready to play, adding potential to the game.
The start of the second half mirrored the close of the first: England persistently attacking and Kane menacing the opponents. Kane’s free-kick prompted a commendable save from Hrádecky; this was followed by a bicycle kick made possible due to a blunder by the Finnish defence. The result was the same. England had to maintain their composure as Rice and Gordon were near scoring.
Ultimately, the breakthrough arrived to the delight of Carsley and all, when Kane displayed his deadly shooting skill, a result of many training sessions. Ezri Konsa was compelled to step out after spraining his ankle – worrying news for Aston Villa. However, England was not satisfied with a solitary goal lead.
Madueke brought sly moves and pushed the offensive line; his shot managed to challenge Hrádecky due to a deflection. Another substitute, Eberechi Eze failed to manage yet another spectacular ball from Alexander-Arnold. The final say in the game was left up to the one who is always expected to deliver. – Guardian