Match Centre: Greece 0-3 England
- T. Bakasetas (22′)
- C. Zafeiris (62′)
- O. Watkins (7′)
- O. Vlachodimos (77′OG)
- C. Jones (83′)
- J. Bellingham (10′)
- C. Gallagher (11′)
- J. Pickford (27′)
Highlights: Greece 0-3 England
Watch the best of the action from Athens as the Three Lions seal a big win
The Three Lions pick up the points in Athens as they edge towards UEFA Nations League promotion
Greece v England
UEFA Nations League
League B, Group 2 fixture
7.45pm BST, Thursday 14 November 2024
Olympic Stadium, Athens
England interim head coach Lee Carsley and forward Anthony Gordon spoke to the media in Athens, following their trip to Greece for Thursday’s UEFA Nations League game.
The Three Lions squad touched down in Athens earlier in the day following a training session at St. George’s Park earlier in the day, and here’s what they discussed ahead of the game.
On the number of players that have withdrawn for this camp…
LC: "The focus all camp has been on the players that are here and it's important that we make the most of this situation.
"With the amount of players that have pulled out, it gives other players an opportunity to be here.
"We're really looking forward to the game and it's going to be a tough test for us and the focus has been purely on the players that are here.
"With the amount of pull-outs we've had in the window, historically it's been like that in the past - November has always been a challenging window - but the culture that Gareth, Steve and the rest of the lads created has made it a really positive environment and the players that are here thoroughly deserve to be here and they’re ready for the game tomorrow.
On facing Greece in Athens…
LC: "We're expecting a tough game and it’s one we have to win.
"But we're really looking forward to it, we've had a good week's training, the players are in good spirits and it's going to be a sell out with a great atmosphere.
"We've had to wait four or five weeks for this, but this next window is so important to us, not just tomorrow but Republic of Ireland as well, so it's a great challenge for us.”
We’re LIVE in Athens with @anthonygordon and Lee Carsley to preview tomorrow night’s #NationsLeague game against Greece 🚨 https://t.co/b7ubT78DG8
— England (@England) November 13, 2024
What did you learn from the game with Greece at Wembley?
"A lot of things! First and foremost, the tempo we have to play at and the chances we create we have to take. Real basics, but a good reminder.
"We tried something different that night so you'll probably see something more conventional tomorrow in terms of the way we play, but I expect us to play a good, attacking style and hopefully we can get a good result.”
What do you think of the Greek team and their development?
"We've definitely prepared well for the game, they're very well organised and a strong team with a great history.
"We definitely didn't underestimate them [in October] and we expect a tough game tomorrow.
"We found they were very good on the counter attack especially so it’s going to be a difficult game.”
Anthony Gordon was asked his thoughts on playing for his club and his country…
"It’s a good question! I'd say whatever is my current team is that I'm playing for, is most important. That's what's in front of me and that's the challenge ahead, so it's hard to say one.
"I think with England it's a different feeling because you're selected to be in a group where it's the best from every team, which is a good feeling but I'd say what's right ahead of me.
On being involved with the MU21s to win the EUROs last year and opportunity for a new generation of players to break through…
"The players we've got are top players, that's not in question so it's an opportunity for them to go and shine and do what they do best. I've played with a lot of them and I can tell you they're good players.
Do England need to win to prove a point after the defeat in October?
"I think with the England national team, we don't feel like we should lose any game so losing a game like that, we do want a bit of revenge and to prove we can beat them.
"With the players we've got, we felt like we should have won at Wembley but we underperformed and didn't take our chances and now we have another opportunity to do that.”
From the archive: England 2-2 Greece
Watch back the best of the action from our 2001 encounter with Greece at Old Trafford
Greece in profile
Nickname: The Blues and Whites
Coach: Ivan Jovanovic
Captain: Tasos Bakasetas
UEFA EURO best performance: Winners 2004
Match stats and facts
● Greece went winless across their first nine meetings with England in all competitions (D2 L7) before winning 2-1 at Wembley last month. The only teams to beat the Three Lions twice in the same calendar year are Wales in 1936, Italy in 1973, Belgium in 2018 and Hungary in 2022.
● England have won on all four of their previous trips to face Greece by an aggregate score of 9-1, only holding a better 100 per cent win-rate away from home against Luxembourg (5/5).
● Greece are on the longest active winning run of any European nation in all competitions (five games) and could win six consecutive matches for the first time November 2013.
● England are unbeaten in their last seven away games (W5 D2), their longest such run on the road since 12 games in a row between March 2013 and October 2015 under Roy Hodgson.
● Greece have gone 286 minutes without conceding at home since Youssouf Fofana netted for France in November last year, their longest run on home turf without their opponents netting since going 617 minutes between February 2012 and October 2013.
● This will be England’s 16th game of 2024, only ever playing more games in 1966 (17), 2018 (17) and 2021 (19) – the Three Lions have lost four times this calendar year however, only losing more times in 1981 (five).
● Greece’s Anastasios Bakasetas has had a hand in 13 goals across his last 14 appearances in the UEFA Nations League (six goals, seven assists) and since the inaugural edition of the competition in 2018-19 is the only player to both score (six) and assist (seven) more than five times.
● Jack Grealish and Declan Rice both have the opportunity to score in three consecutive away appearances for England, with the last player to do so for the Three Lions other than Harry Kane being Wayne Rooney in June 2013.
● Of all 55 teams to have competed in the UEFA Nations League, Greece have amassed the most wins (15), conceded the fewest goals (nine) and kept the most clean sheets (15).
● Greece have won nine of their last ten UEFA Nations League matches (L1), conceding just four goals across their last 16 games in the competition (W12 D3 L1).
● Greece have lost just two of their last 24 home matches across all competitions (W15 D7), with those defeats coming against Spain in a World Cup qualifier (November 2021) and Netherlands in a EURO qualifier (October 2023) both by a 0-1 scoreline.
● England have lost as many UEFA Nations League games as they’ve won (P22 W8 D6 L8) scoring 26 goals and conceding 25 in the process. They have, however, won their last two away games in the competition and will be looking to win three on the bounce for the first time.
● England haven’t conceded more than a single goal in any of their last 13 competitive away fixtures (W8 D3 L2), conceding just seven goals in total during this period.
● England have used 27 different players in this edition of the UEFA Nations League with only Germany (30) and Cyprus (28) using more.
● England have lost just one of their ten games against Greece (W7 D2), however that defeat did come in the last meeting, losing 1-2 at Wembley last month. The last nation to win back-to-back matches against the Three Lions was France, who have won their last two (June 2017 & December 2022).
● The Three Lions have won all four of their away games against Greece by an aggregate scoreline of 9-1. This will however be their first visit since June 2001 in a World Cup qualifier, with Paul Scholes and David Beckham scoring second-half goals to earn England a 2-0 win.
● Greece will become the 46th different nation Harry Kane has faced with England, scoring against 31 of the previous 45. The Bayern Munich striker has been involved in 33 goals across his 33 away games for the Three Lions (23 goals, ten assists), however he’s failed to score in any of his last three games on the road since netting against Scotland in September last year
● Only Switzerland’s Manuel Akanji (319) has completed more passes in this seasons UEFA Nations League than Trent Alexander-Arnold (308 – level with Declan Rice), while the Liverpool full-back ranks third for successful passes ending in the final third (95) and first for passes played into the oppositions box (52).
Head to head
The Three Lions have played Greece at men's senior level on ten occasions, registering seven wins, drawing twice and losing once, at Wembley last month.
Last three meetings v Greece
England 1-2 Greece, UEFA Nations League, 10 August 2024
The visitors scored in added time to win all three points at Wembley in the first 2024-25 Nations league fixture between these sides. Jude Bellingham thought he'd earned the Three Lions a point with an 87th-minute strike but Vangelis Pavlidis - who had earlier broken the deadlock - scored his second goal of the evening to seal the win.
England 4-0 Greece, International Match, 16 August 2006
A meeting at Old Trafford, where else, against Otto Rehhagel's reigning European Champions ended in a convincing win for new boss Steve McClaren in his first game in charge. Goals from John Terry, Frank Lampard and a brace from Peter Crouch proved the difference on the day.
England 2-2 Greece, World Cup qualifier, 6 October 2001
Who could forget David Beckham's unstoppable free-kick in the last minute to seal the result and England's place in the 2002 FIFA World Cup? Greece had taken the lead twice at Old Trafford, either side of Teddy Sheringham's goal, but it was captain Beckham who took the plaudits after an all-action display to help pull England over the line.
England Squad News
Ticket Information
Where can I watch or stream Greece v England?
UEFA Nations League games will be shown live in the UK on ITV and ITVX.
Tonight's #ThreeLions 👊 pic.twitter.com/SvMLeo4I57
— England (@England) November 14, 2024
Lee Carsley has named his starting XI for England's Nations League clash against Greece.
The Three Lions interim head coach hands Curtis Jones a senior international debut alongside Conor Gallagher in midfield, while Noni Madueke makes his first start at this level.
England: 1 Jordan Pickford, 2 Kyle Walker (C), 3 Rico Lewis, 4 Conor Gallagher, 5 Ezri Konsa, 6 Marc Guehi, 10 Jude Bellingham, 11 Anthony Gordon, 17 Curtis Jones, 18 Ollie Watkins, 23 Noni Madueke
Substitutes: 7 Morgan Gibbs-White, 8 Angel Gomes, 9 Harry Kane, 12 Lewis Hall, 13 Dean Henderson, 14 Tino Livramento, 15 Jarell Quansah, 16 Taylor Harwood-Bellis, 19 Morgan Rogers, 20 Jarrod Bowen, 21 Dominic Solanke, 22 James Trafford
Watkins opened the scoring with a simple finish seven minutes in, before the ball bounced off Vlachodimos into his net after Jude Bellingham's powerful strike first met the post in the 77th minute.
Jones then capped off a debut to remember with a confident flick six minutes later to seal a comprehensive victory to put England in control of the group with one game remaining.
The Three Lions had arrived in the Greek capital in need of a win to keep pace with the group leaders following October's defeat against them at Wembley, and began proceedings accordingly.
Lee Carsley's men had the first chance of the game just three minutes in with Anthony Gordon racing past Lazaros Rota down the left-hand side.
The Newcastle winger pulled the ball back in search of Watkins, though the ball instead fell to Noni Madueke, with the Chelsea man seeing his subsequent attempt at goal blocked.
Undeterred, England continued to make in-roads against their hosts, and they deservedly took the lead through Watkins four minutes later.
The Aston Villa marksman capped off a superb passing move, begun by Bellingham flamboyantly flicking the ball to Madueke, who burst into the box before rolling it over to Watkins for a simple finish.
🅰️: @NoniMadueke_
— England (@England) November 14, 2024
⚽️: Ollie Watkins
1️⃣-0️⃣ to the #ThreeLions in Greece!pic.twitter.com/cE8XnliH7p
Madueke's pace had been unsettling the hosts all evening and the winger almost nabbed a deserved goal when he cut and fired at goal, only to be denied by Vlachodimos.
England were forced into evasive action on the other end when a Greece freekick floated dangerously into the box, with Jordan Pickford coming to the rescue to punch it clear.
Minutes later, Kostas Tsimikas drove past Kyle Walker to combine with Vangelis Pavilidis before firing at goal, with Pickford parrying the Liverpool full-back's effort.
However, England weathered the storm well and came close to doubling their advantage through Bellingham.
The Real Madrid star produced a sensational bit of skill to turn on the halfway line before marauding into the box and seemed certain to score had it not been for Konstantinos Koulierakis' last-ditch tackle.
The last action of the half saw Watkins come tantalisingly close to doubling his tally when he broke free in search of goal, only to lose the ball amid a sea of blue shirts, with England entering the break enjoying a slender one-goal lead.
The Three Lions started the second half as they ended the first, with England forcing Vlachodimos into a fine save to deny Lewis after Madueke's powerful drive into the box.
Moments later, England would be denied again, this time from the woodwork with Bellingham's header coming off the post.
This is a special, special goal by @curtisjr_10 on his #ThreeLions debut.pic.twitter.com/iWaHHW6sey
— England (@England) November 14, 2024
The other end of the pitch saw Greece threaten to score against the run of play, with Pickford called into action and delivering by turning substitute Fotis Ioannidis' effort behind.
Yet the visitors would soon double their lead, with Vlacodimos turning the ball into his own net after Bellingham's powerful strike initially bounced back off the foot of the post.
And minutes later, Jones scored his first goal in England colours with an audacious flick from Morgan Gibbs-White's cut-back to secure all three points in Athens in style.
England: 1 Jordan Pickford (Everton) 2 Kyle Walker (Manchester City) 3 Rico Lewis (Manchester City) 4 Conor Gallagher (Atletico Madrid) 5 Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa) 6 Marc Guéhi (Crystal Palace) 10 Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid) 11 Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United) 17 Curtis Jones (Liverpool) 18 Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa), 23 Noni Madueke (Chelsea)
Substitutes: 12 Lewis Hall (Newcastle United) for Konsa 46', 19 Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa) for Gordon 66', 9 Harry Kane (Bayern Munich) for Watkins 66', Jarrod Bowen for Madueke 66', 7 Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest) for Gallagher 79'
Subs not used: 13 Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), 22 James Trafford (Burnley), 8 Angel Gomes (Lille), 14 Tino Livramento (Newcastle United), 15 Jarell Quansah (Liverpool), 16 Taylor Harwood-Bellis (Southampton), 21 Dominic Solanke (Tottenham Hotspur)
Goals: Watkins 7', Vlachodimos og 77', Jones 83'
Interim head coach: Lee Carsley
Greece: 1 Odysseas Vlachodimos 3 Konstantinos Koulierakis 4 Konstantinos Mavropanos 7 Georgios Masouras 11 Anastasios Bakasetas 14 Vangelis Pavlidis 15 Lazaros Rota 16 Christos Zafeiris 19 Christos Tzolis 21 Manolis Siopis
Substitutes: 22 Dimitris Giannoulis for Pavlidis 56',10 Dimitrios Pelkas for Tsimikas 57', 8 Fotis Ioannidis for Bakasetas 57', 18 Giannis Konstantelias for Masouras 70', 20 Petros Mantalos for Siopis 82'
Subs not used: 12 Konstantinos Tzolakis 13 Christos Mandas 2 Georgios Vagiannidis 5 Panagiotis Retsos 6 Sotiris Alexandropoulos 9 Anastasios Douvikas 17 Pantelis Chatzidiakos 20 Petros Mantalos
Coach: Ivan Jovanović
