HELSINKI: Jack Grealish’s fourth international goal and a free kick from Trent Alexander-Arnold led England to a 3-1 victory over Finland in Helsinki in the UEFA Nations League. Declan Rice scored a late third before Arttu Hoskonen grabbed an even later consolation for Finland.
Victory was an essential response to interim manager Lee Carsley’s demand for a decisive response after the Wembley defeat to Greece in the UEFA Nations League. Victory left England second in Group B2 with nine points after four games, three points behind Greece, with Finland are bottom without a point.
Changes had been inevitable and Carsley was, in any case, without Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka who had been injured on Thursday. The experiment of fielding five attackers without an out-and-out striker had backfired so Carsley returned to an orthodox formation with captain Harry Kane, who missed the Greece game with leg strain, back at centre-forward.
Kane had marked his 100th appearance for his country with both goals when England beat Finland 2-0 last month.
Grealish, who scored against the Republic of Ireland in Carsley’s first game in charge as interim boss last month, was also back on the left flank after injury and he slipped through the Finnish lines in the 18th minute to convert a delicate through pass from Angel Gomes.
Finland had their chances. Fredrik Jensen fired just wide in the first half and missed a sitter early in the second, firing over the bar from close range.
Alexander-Arnold brought England some security in the 74th level when he curled a free kick from 20 metres over the wall and into the top corner.
Grealish said later: “I joked to Trent before the free-kick: ‘Score this I will give you 500 quid’ – and he slapped it in top bin (corner).”
Rice tapped home substitute Ollie Watkins’s cross 10 minutes later after making bursting upfield. Finland then grabbed their only goal in the 87th minute when Hoskonen headed past keeper Dean Henderson from a corner.
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