Report: England 3-0 Latvia
- R. James (38′)
- H. Kane (68′)
- E. Eze (76′)
- J. Bellingham (42′)
- D. Meļņiks (85′)
- D. Šits (89′)
The Three Lions made it two wins from two games in World Cup qualifying at Wembley in March
Highlights: England 3-0 Latvia
Watch the best of the action from Wembley Stadium as the Three Lions made it consecutive wins
England v Latvia
FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers
Group K
7.45pm GMT, Monday 24 March 2025
Wembley Stadium
Thomas Tuchel and Declan Rice faced the media on Sunday afternoon ahead of England’s second World Cup qualifier of the camp against Latvia.
The pair reflected on the performance against Albania and looked ahead to Monday night.
Here is what they had to say.
Tuchel on England’s 2-0 win over Albania…
“It was a quite complicated match to play against a well organised and good defending team and still we have room to improve. In general, I was very happy with the effort and how we started the game. We played a lot of passes, we were totally dominant and we were well structured so we conceded absolutely no counter-attacks.
“We were very aware of the long balls and collecting the second balls so we put a lot of effort in which maybe wasn’t so exciting to watch and not so attractive but it was necessary to keep Albania to the absolute minimum of no big chances at all. The game was strange because there were not a lot of ball losses and there were not a lot of interruptions in the game so it was quite tiring.
“If you are then total responsible for everything in the match and for all the attacking and all the counter-pressing and the opponent just tries to absorb the energy and slow the game down, it’s sometimes difficult to maintain the level of focus and the level of excitement.”
On potential changes to the starting XI…
“We have reasons to let all of them play again and say, ‘let’s do stuff a bit better and find our rhythm together and find the connections’, but we have reports from the physical department that there are some players that are flagged with slight concerns.
“So, let’s see. It’s only the second day after the match so it’s a day where we have to be cautious. It could also make sense to put in some fresh players and fresh legs who really deserve to play, so maybe it will be a mix between the both.”
On the challenge England will face against Latvia…
“I think we are clear favourites in the next match. I think it will be difficult to predict exactly what Latvia is doing. We are right now watching clips from their match against Andorra, we’re watching clips from North Macedonia and we’re watching clips from the Faroe Islands.
“They’re facing a new level of opponent with us. I think we need mentally to adapt to that kind of role than try to implement our structure on the ball and have a good mix of, ‘what does it make sense to change our structure to make life easier for our players to defend and have high ball wins?’ This is the question that we have to answer – how much we can predict.”
We’re LIVE with @_DeclanRice and Thomas Tuchel to look forward to Monday’s game against Latvia 🚨 https://t.co/tTX4fJ6jFu
— England (@England) March 23, 2025
Rice on settling back into life on camp…
“The energy is really good. Training has been amazing – the energy in training has been really top. The manager addressed that on the first day after the first session. There were a group of boys that were doing a recovery session and we watched and we were like, ‘wow, this is top tempo and really sharp’. That’s been the theme of the whole really.
“It’s my first time working with Thomas and he’s really energetic and he cares so much about his players. We have one goal which is to get to the World Cup and we want to add the second star on to the shirt and he’s been massive on that. We’re all on the same page on that.”
On the six-year anniversary of his Three Lions debut…
“I’ve grown so much as a player and as a person in that time. Six years ago, I remember ex-pros that have retired now when I was at West Ham telling me, ‘Dec, enjoy your career because it goes so quick’. Already, it’s six years in an England shirt and it goes so fast.
“It’s just taught me to cherish every moment. To play for England is the biggest thing you can do and it’s been one of the best journeys I’ve ever had. With Thomas now and this new era, there’s still so much more to come and you’re going to keep seeing the best of us.”
On working with Tuchel…
“The way he wants his midfielders to play is very similar to how I have it at club so it’s not been too much different in terms of playing through the number six and playing to the number eights.
“Over time, we’re going to be able to get his style much more but the other night, we passed the ball really well and there were a lot of things there that he was happy with but stuff that we can keep improving on.”
On Harry Kane’s 70th goal for England…
“He’s insane. I’ve seen him train now for so long and I’ve seen him play so many games for England. The other night, what was so good about that goal for me was how he took the touch, waited for the defender to come across and then created the space.
“Not a lot of people would think like that and it was top level. He’s an unbelievable guy and a great captain.”
Latvia in profile
Nickname: Eleven Wolves
Coach: Paolo Nicolato
Captain: Kristers Tobers
Match Stats
● This will be England and Latvia’s first ever meeting. The Three Lions haven’t lost their first meeting against any of the last 56 nations they’ve faced for the first time (W42 D14) since losing 2-1 to Mexico in May 1959.
● Latvia have lost their last 13 international matches against sides who started that match within the top-ten of the FIFA Rankings by an aggregate score of 38-1. Their sole win against such opposition came against Türkiye – ranked 8th – in November 2003 in a UEFA European Championship qualifier.
● England have won their last four competitive matches, they last won five in a row in June 2021.
● England are unbeaten (W34 D4) in their last 38 qualifying matches for major tournaments at home (EURO/World Cup), twice as long as their next best run without defeat (two 19 game runs in April 1983 and October 1996).
● Latvia won their most recent competitive away match (1-0 v Andorra) after going winless in eight previously (D2 L6), however, they haven’t won back-to-back away games in major tournament (EURO/World Cup) qualifiers since October 2009 (v Luxembourg and Israel).
● England have won each of their last 35 competitive matches at Wembley in which they’ve led at half time, since a 2-2 draw against the Netherlands in 1993, with John Barnes and David Platt both scoring in the opening half-hour for the Three Lions.
● Jude Bellingham has played 41 times for England, the most caps ever won for the Three Lions while aged 21 or younger. He’s been directly involved in eleven goals (five goals, six assists) in his last 16 games and could either score or assist in three consecutive matches for the first time.
● Thomas Tuchel could be the first permanent England manager to win his first two competitive games in charge since Fabio Capello in September 2008 (won his first eight), while the last England manager to lose either of his first two competitive matches was Alf Ramsey in 1963 (lost both).
Last time out: England MU21s 3-0 Latvia
England men's under-21s ran out 3-0 winners over Latvia in Bournemouth in 2017
Head to head
The Three Lions have never come up against Latvia, with this meeting marking a first-ever encounter between the two teams at senior level.
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The England line-up to take on Latvia at Wembley has been named by head coach Thomas Tuchel.
Following Friday's win over Andorra, there are four changes to the team with Reece James, Marc Guehi, Morgan Rogers and Jarrod Bowen coming into the starting team.
England: 1 Jordan Pickford, 23 Myles Lewis-Skelly, 3 Reece James, 5 Ezri Konsa, 6 Marc Guehi, 4 Declan Rice, 16 Morgan Rogers, 10 Jude Bellingham, 20 Jarrod Bowen, 9 Harry Kane, 11 Marcus Rashford.
Substitutes: 2 Kyle Walker, 7 Phil Foden, 8 Jordan Henderson, 12 Dan Burn, 13 Dean Henderson, 14 Levi Colwill, 15 Eberechi Eze, 17 Curtis Jones, 18 Morgan Gibbs-White, 19 Dominic Solanke, 21 Jarell Quansah, 22 James Trafford
Thomas Tuchel made it two wins from two as England manager as the Three Lions overcame a spirited Latvia side 3-0 at Wembley.
An inch perfect free kick from Chelsea’s Reece James, a composed finish from captain Harry Kane and Eberechi Eze’s deflected effort secured all three points to put England top of their World Cup qualifying group.
England started the game with intent, pinning their opponents in their own half, from which they rarely left during the opening 45 minutes, with Jarrod Bowen and Marcus Rashford looking particularly industrious down both flanks.
Rashford’s reverse pass almost found Bellingham inside the penalty area with three minutes on the clock and England’s No.10 also saw his effort blocked amidst a sea of red shirts as the hosts searched for a breakthrough.
Moments later saw Bowen meet Rashford’s cross from the left, but the West Ham attacker did not make the contact he would have liked as the ball went out for a goal kick and lashed another shot wide later in the half.
Despite seeing little of the ball, Latvia came close to opening the scoring on 18 minutes after Roberts Savaļnieks' hopeful delivery down the right was latched onto by Raivis Jurkovskis but the striker could only find the side netting.
Tuchel’s side responded and only a fine reflex save from Krisjanis Zviedris midway through the half kept the score at 0-0 as he denied Ezri Konsa from close range, before Kane headed over from seven yards soon after.
Latvia’s rearguard effort at the back was valiant - their low block providing England with a tricky challenge to overcome - but was finally breached after 37 minutes by James’ stunning free-kick.
The Chelsea player, starting his first game for his country since 2022, curled his dead ball effort round the five-man Latvian wall from 25-yards and into the top corner for his first England goal after Myles Lewis-Skelly initially won the foul.
Jordan Pickford stood firm just before the break, dealing with Alvis Jaunzems' shot, which was straight at the Everton shot stopper, with ease before debutant Morgan Rogers saw his first-time effort kept out by Zviedris following Bowen’s cutback.
The second half saw England continue to dominate possession and Kane was inches away from doubling his team’s lead just after the hour mark, but his guided shot was just wide of the left post after Bellingham played him in.
Kane was not to be denied for long and the captain deservedly opened his account when he tapped in Declan Rice’s cross on 68 minutes after good work by Rashford and Rogers down the right.
England pressed for a third and Eze made it 3-0 when his shot took a deflection of Antonijs Cernomordijs after a jinking run into the box inside the last 15 minutes of the match.
England: 1 Jordan Pickford (Everton), 3 Reece James (Chelsea), 4 Declan Rice (Arsenal), 5 Ezri Konsa, 6 Marc Guéhi (Crystal Palace), 9 Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), 10 Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), 11 Marcus Rashford (Aston Villa), 16 Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), 20 Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United), 23 Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal)
Substitutes: 15 Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace) for Bowen 61, 7 Phil Foden (Manchester City) for Bellingham 67, 17 Curtis Jones (Liverpool) for Rashford 79, 8 Jordan Henderson (Ajax) for Rice 79, 2 Kyle Walker (AC Milan) for Lewis-Skelly 79
Subs not used: 12 Dan Burn (Newcastle United), 13 Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), 14 Levi Colwill (Chelsea), 18 Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest), 19 Dominic Solanke (Tottenham Hotspur), 21 Jarell Quansah, 22 James Trafford (Burnley)
Goals: James 37, Kane 68, Eze 76
Head coach: Thomas Tuchel
Latvia: 1 Krisjanis Zviedris, 2 Daniels Balodis, 5 Antonijs Cernomordijs, 9 Raivis Jurkovskis, 10 Jānis Ikaunieks, 11 Roberts Savaļnieks, 13 Raivis Jurkovskis, 14 Andrejs Cigaņiks, 15 Dmitrijs Zelenkovs, 16 Alvis Jaunzems 22 Aleksejs Saveļjevs
Substitutes: 3 Vitālijs Jagodinskis for Savaļnieks 54, 7 Eduards Dašķevičs for Jurkovskis 61, 18 Dario Šits for Jurkovskis 61, 4 Niks Sliede for Balodis 83, 20 Deniss Meļņiks for Ikaunieks 83
Subs not used: 6 Vjačeslavs Isajevs, 12 Roberts Ozols, 17 Lūkass Vapne, 21 Maksims Toņiševs, 23 Rihards Matrevics
Head coach: Paolo Nicolato
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