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Published 10 September 2024 5 min read
England Men's Senior Team

Match Report: England 2-0 Finland

Written by:

Ben Hart

  • H. Kane (57′) (76′)
UEFA Nations League League B, Group 2
Tuesday 10 September, 07:45 PM Wembley Stadium
The England men's logo
2 0
HT: 0 - 0
Finland
  • R. Schüller (66′)

A brilliant brace from Harry Kane on his 100th appearance helps Three Lions to victory

12 Sep 2024 2:58

Highlights: England 2-0 Finland


Watch the best of the action from Wembley as the Three Lions faced their first home game of the new Nations League campaign

 Harry Kane celebrates scoring against Finland at Wembley
Harry Kane celebrates scoring against Finland at Wembley

Harry Kane marked his 100th international cap with a brilliant brace as England beat Finland 2-0 to extend their winning start under interim boss Lee Carsley.

Kane was presented with his golden cap ahead of the game and looked up for the occasion from the off, carrying the threat to a resilient Finland side determined to play party poopers.

The skipper broke the deadlock in an emphatic fashion early in the second half, lashing home from the edge of the box before curling in a delightful second to put the seal on a special evening.

He left the field to a standing ovation on 80 minutes before England saw out a victory which keeps them second in Group B2 of the UEFA Nations League, behind Greece only on goal difference, who they play next on October 10.

Before kick-off, Wembley paid tribute to much-loved former manager Sven-Göran Eriksson, who passed away at the end of August.

The Swede’s first competitive game in charge of The Three Lions came against Finland in 2001 and there was a great sense of occasion ahead of the first meeting between the sides since, highlighted by the travelling away fans who were in fine voice throughout.

There was much for them to admire from a defensive point of view in a first half England dominated to no avail, with centurion Kane in the thick of the action.

His early header back across goal sparked the first panic of the night and the England captain then saw a volley deflected over after Bukayo Saka’s far-post cross.

Kane then rifled an effort towards the top corner after a slide pass from Angel Gomes but was denied superbly by an outstretched hand from Lukas Hradecky, before Finland launched an immediate counter.

Only a Teemu Pukki foul on Ezri Konsa brought the attack to a halt, with the former Norwich striker looking lively after earlier being denied by a Rico Lewis block.

England were enjoying their best spell of the half and a deflected Saka effort nearly caught out Bayer Leverkusen’s Hradecky before Kane diverted a header home from a Saka cross only for an offside flag to quell the celebrations.

Topi Keskinen fired over from just outside the box in a small scare for the hosts but England finished the half on top, with Trent Alexander-Arnold twice going close.

England laid siege to the Finland goal early in the second half but Hradecky remained defiant, parrying away a Kane free-kick and bicycle kick either side of denying a low Anthony Gordon shot.

But Kane was determined to mark his night with a goal and did so brilliantly, shifting the ball onto his right in trademark fashion before unleashing a brutal effort past Hradecky into the roof of the net on 57 minutes

In doing so, he became only the third player after Bobby Charlton and Wayne Rooney to score on his 100th England appearance.

He then made sure of the points with an equally sweet second 14 minutes from time, sweeping home a first-time effort for his 68th England goal after a simple cutback from substitute and debutant Noni Madueke.

 Declan Rice in possession against Finland at Wembley
Declan Rice in possession against Finland at Wembley

Match Line Up

England: 1 Jordan Pickford (Everton), 2 Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), 3 Rico Lewis (Manchester City), 4 Declan Rice (Arsenal), 5 John Stones (Manchester City), 7 Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), 9 Harry Kane (c) (Bayern Munich), 10 Jack Grealish (Manchester City), 11 Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), 14 Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa) 19 Angel Gomes (Lille)

Substitutes: 15 Levi Colwill (Chelsea) for Konsa 61’, 23 Noni Madueke (Chelsea) for Saka 66’, 21 Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace) for Gordon 66’, 16 Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace) for Stones 80’, 20 Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United) for Kane 80’

Subs not used: 6 Harry Maguire (Manchester United), 8 Conor Gallagher (Atletico Madrid), 12 Tino Livramento (Newcastle United), 13 Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), 17 Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest), 18 Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), 22 Nick Pope (Newcastle United)

Goals: Kane 57’, 76’

Interim head coach: Lee Carsley

Finland: 1 Lukas Hradecky, 3 Matti Peltola, 4 Robert Ivanov, 5 Arttu Hoskonen, 6 Glen Kamara, 9 Fredrik Jensen, 10 Teemu Pukki, 11 Rasmus Schuller, 13 Adam Stahl, 14 Topi Keskinen, 18 Jere Uronen

Substitutes: 19 Benjamin Kallman for Pukki 45’, 22 Ilmari Niskanen for Uronen 45’, 8 Robin Lod for Jensen 63’, 7 Oliver Antman for Keskinen 74’, 21 Leo Walta for Schuller 84’

Subs not used: 2 Leo Vaisanen, 12 Jesse Joronen, 15 Miro Tenho, 16 Urho Nissila, 17 Tomas Galvez, 20 Joel Pohjanpalo

Yellow cards: Schuller 63’

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