Match Centre: Finland 1-3 England
- A. Hoskonen (87′)
- J. Grealish (18′)
- T. Alexander-Arnold (74′)
- D. Rice (84′)
The Three Lions get back to winning ways in their UEFA Nations League campaign in Helsinki
Finland v England
UEFA Nations League
League B, Group 2 fixture
5pm BST, Sunday 13 October 2024
Olympiastadion, Helsinki
England interim head coach Lee Carsley was joined by defender Marc Guéhi for the pre-match media conference following their arrival in Helsinki on Saturday evening.
Find out what they were asked and how they responded below.
On the latest team news ahead of the game
Lee Carsley: "Harry [Kane] and Jack [Grealish] both got through a session yesterday and today so we're in a good position and I think it's important we freshen the team up a little bit. We feel confident that we're in a good place.
How Carsley sees the reaction to the result against Greece on Thursday.
"I think it's always tough, the scrutiny that we're under. It's nothing that I'm not used to, having been a professional football for such a long time, and the reaction is fair enough. We respect people have opinions and we didn't perform as well as we can the other night, and I would expect a reaction tomorrow night.
What formation is he planning to use against Finland following the line up selected against Greece?
"It's something I'll look back on in two or three months and be better for it. I wanted to give this job my best shot for the three camps we spoke about and I didn't want to have any regrets.
"But it's important that we do try something different at times, and I think I'll be a better coach for that, but we'll probably be a little bit more conventional tomorrow night."
Is the game a moment to win some trust back from the public?
"I'm not sure really. It's important I have trust and support from the team, because that pays forward. The amount of praise that the team and myself got from the first two games was very good and positive, but we fell below those standards that the players have set for themselves but the most important thing is a reaction.
"You want the public to live and trust the team because the impact they have on the team is very inspiring.
"There's always an emotional reaction after the game, but we know we can do a lot better than what they've shown and we hope for a reaction."
What does he think of Finland?
"We're very respectful of their team and we found it difficult at Wembley to break them down, especially in the first 45 minutes, and they'll be confident that they can stifle us.
"It's a team we feel very well prepared for and that the players are looking forward to."
How does the Greece result affect the next few games in the Nations League and promotion back to League A?
"That was always the objective for us, it's one that we're heading towards and the qualification for the World Cup is also important so we want to get back on track.
Guéhi on the squad's reaction to their defeat against Greece.
"It's important we put things in perspective, and there's loads of senior players in the team who have dealt with defeats and difficult moments so we'll rally together to make sure we make the reaction and get a result tomorrow."
On working under Lee Carsley again...
"It's always exciting to play for Lee, he's someone I respect a lot and have a lot of admiration for. What he's done for me as a player and how he's helped me in the younger age groups and helped me improve, it's because of him I was able to make that step into the seniors.
"Every single game is important and we all want to get back to a big tournament and do the best that we can, so any opponent or game we have is an important one."
Finland in profile
Nickname: The Eagle-Owls
Coach: Markku Kanerva
Captain: Lucas Hradecky
UEFA EURO best performance: Group stage, 2020
Match Stats
● Finland will host England for the first time since October 2000 - a goalless draw in a World Cup qualifier. The Finns have drawn two of their last three home games with the Three Lions (L1).
● England are unbeaten in each of their previous 12 meetings with Finland (W10 D2), the joint-most they have faced a nation without ever suffering defeat (level with Bulgaria – P12 W8 D4).
● Finland have only lost two of their ten home games in the UEFA Nations League (W6 D2), although one of those did come last time out against the Republic of Ireland (1-2).
● England have lost two of their last four competitive fixtures (W2), more defeats than they suffered across their 20 previous such games (W12 D7 L1) – eight of the Three Lions’ last eleven competitive losses have come in the UEFA Nations League.
● Finland have lost each of their last three games (all in the UEFA Nations League) and could lose four in a row for the first time since March 2016.
● England are unbeaten in their last six away games in all competitions (W4 D2), last having a longer such run between March 2013 and October 2015 (12 in a row).
● Finland’s Joel Pohjanpalo has scored six goals in his last eight home international starts, including last time out against the Republic of Ireland – each of the striker’s last six goals for his country have come at the Helsinki Olympic Stadium.
● Jude Bellingham has been directly involved in eight goals in his last 12 England appearances (five goals, three assists); since the start of 2023 only Harry Kane (15) has scored more goals for the Three Lions than the Real Madrid man (five – level with Bukayo Saka).
Last time out: England 2-0 Finland
See the best of the action from our most recent game with Finland at Wembley in September 2024
Head to head
The Three Lions have played Finland at men's senior level on 12 occasions, registering ten wins, drawing twice and losing none.
Last three meetings v Finland
England 2-0 Finland, UEFA Nations League, 10 September 2024
It was a memorable night for England captain Harry Kane, who made his 100th appearance for the Three Lions in front of a home crowd before scoring two second-half goals to seal three points for Lee Carsley's side.
England 2-1 Finland, International Match, 24 March 2001
The Three Lions ran out as narrow winners last time out when they hosted Finland at Anfield during their 2002 World Cup qualifying campaign. They had to come from behind too, after former Crystal Palace midfielder Aki Riihilahti put the Finns ahead in the first half. A Michael Owen goal two minutes before the break saw England equalise before David Beckham's goal early in the second half sealed the win.
Finland 0-0 England, International Match, 11 October 2000
Howard Wilkinson took charge of England on their last trip to Helsinki, following the resignation of Kevin Keegan after their defeat to Germany at Wembley four days earlier.
Finland 1-2 England, International Match, 3 June 1992
A brace from David Platt helped Graham Taylor's team come from behind to take victory in Helsinki, as the Three Lions prepared for their EURO campaign in Sweden later that summer.
England Squad News
Ticket Information
Where can I watch or stream Finland v England?
UEFA Nations League games will be shown live in the UK on ITV and ITVX.
England: 13 Dean Henderson, 2 Trent Alexander-Arnold, 4 Declan Rice, 5 John Stones, 6 Marc Guéhi, 8 Jude Bellingham, 9 Harry Kane (C), 12 Kyle Walker, 17 Jack Grealish, 19 Angel Gomes, 20 Cole Palmer
Substitutes: 1 Jordan Pickford, 3 Rico Lewis, 10 Phil Foden, 11 Anthony Gordon, 14 Conor Gallagher, 15 Levi Colwill, 16 Tino Livramento, 18 Ollie Watkins, 21 Dominic Solanke, 22 Nick Pope, 23 Noni Madueke
Grealish broke the deadlock for the visitors in the 18th minute when he coolly finished Angel Gomes' exquisite flick, before Alexander-Arnold doubled England's lead with a stunning free-kick after 74 minutes.
Rice then added in England's third when he tapped in substitute Ollie Watkins' cross into an empty net ten minutes later.
Finland pulled one back through Arttu Hoskonen when he headed home from a corner on 87 minutes but England never looked like letting go of their grasp of the game.
The Three Lions controlled possession from the off, patiently probing in search of a route past the Finland back five.
Yet for all England's ease in possession, Finland's press mounted a considerable threat.
The first real chance of the game fell to the hosts when Gomes was caught on the ball and the Lille star's blushes were only spared when Topi Keskinen saw his effort blocked after racing through on the counter.
Minutes later, Jude Bellingham played a smart one-two with Grealish before firing away in the box, with his effort deflected for a corner delivered by Palmer but headed temporarily clear before Alexander-Arnold saw his effort deflected away.
Having survived the early scare, England grew into the game and it would not be long before the Three Lions roared out in front.
The hosts sought an instant reply and Dean Henderson, on his first start for the senior team, was soon called into action but the Palace keeper denied Keskinen's effort with ease.
With the end of the first half inching closer, Finland came close to an equaliser when Benjamin Källman's pass found Fredrik Jensen's run but the Finn could only fire his shot over the goal.
The last chance of the half fell to England, with Grealish seeking to turn provider with a brilliant ball into Bellingham's path, only for the Real Madrid star to see his shot blocked.
After the restart, England sought to pick up where they left off, twice forcing Hradecky into action early in the second half.
Yet despite the potency of their attacking threat, the Three Lions were forced into evasive action on the other end of the pitch, with Jensen finding himself in space in front of goal, only to fail to convert from seven yards out.
Substitutes Noni Madueke and Watkins almost had an instant impact, with the former forcing Hradecky into a save as the Chelsea man attempted to find Watkins in the centre with a cross.
Alexander-Arnold then deservedly doubled England's advantage when his free-kick whirled its way into the top corner before Rice registered England's third when he converted Watkins' ball into an empty net.
Finland finally found their way past Henderson on 87 minutes but that would prove scant consolation as England took home all three points to sit second in Group B1 of the UEFA Nations League.
Guéhi (Crystal Palace), 8 Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), 9 Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), 12 Kyle Walker (Manchester City), 17 Jack Grealish (Manchester City), 19 Angel Gomes (Lille), 20 Cole Palmer (Chelsea)
Substitutes: 23 Noni Madueke (Chelsea) for Palmer 68', 18 Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa) for Kane, 3 Rico Lewis (Manchester City) for Gomes, 10 Phil Foden (Manchester City) for Bellingham 80', 14 Conor Gallagher (Atletico Madrid) for Rice 85'
Subs not used: 1 Jordan Pickford (Everton), 11 Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), 15 Levi Colwill (Chelsea), 16 Toni Livramento (Newcastle United), 21 Dominic Solanke (Tottenham Hotspur), 22 Nick Pope (Newcastle United),
Goals: Grealish 17', Alexander-Arnold 75', Rice 84'
Interim head coach: Lee Carsley
Finland: 1 Lukas Hradecky, 3 Matti Peltola, 4 Robert Ivanov, 5 Arttu Hoskonen, 6 Glen Kamara, 9 Fredrik Jensen, 11 Rasmus Schüller, 17 Nikolai Alho, 18 Jere Uronen, 19 Benjamin Källman, 21 Topi Keskinen
Substitutes: 22 Leo Walta for Schüller 63', Joel Pohjanpalo for Källman 63', 8 Robin Lod for Jensen 75', Oliver Antman for Alho 82',
Subs not used: 2 Tomas Galvez, 10 Teemu Pukki, 12 Jesse Joronen, 13 Adam Ståhl, 14 Juhani Pikkarainen, 15 Miro Tenho, 16 Urho Nissilä, 23 Viljami Sinisalo
Goals: Hoskenen 87'
Coach: Markku Kanerva
