Lee Carsley marked his debut as England senior team manager with a 2-0 victory over Ireland on Saturday, kicking off their 2024/25 UEFA Nations League campaign in League B.
Goals from Declan Rice and Jack Grealish, both of whom faced heavy jeering from the Irish crowd due to their past affiliations with the Republic of Ireland at youth and senior levels, sealed the win in Dublin.
Every time the pair touched the ball, they were met with boos from the home crowd, a response to their past representing Ireland before pledging their loyalty to England. However, they ultimately had the last laugh.
England now shifts focus to their next Nations League fixture against Finland on Tuesday, where Carsley will be eager to build on the momentum and secure consecutive wins at the start of his tenure.
The Aviva Stadium was charged with energy as both teams stepped onto the pitch, and the atmosphere only intensified in the opening moments.
Just three minutes into the game, Ireland nearly took an early lead when Jayson Molumby rose to meet a cross at the far post. However, his header soared over the bar, letting England off the hook.
England didn’t take long to respond, and in the 11th minute, they struck first. Declan Rice, despite the constant boos from the Irish faithful, found the back of the net.
After Anthony Gordon’s initial effort was parried away by Caoimhin Kelleher, the Arsenal midfielder was quick to pounce on the rebound, curling a precise strike into the top corner from 12 yards.
The visitors were in full control, and just over 15 minutes later, they extended their lead. This time, Rice was the orchestrator.
England’s intricate one-touch passing tore through the Irish defense, culminating in Rice’s perfectly timed pull-back for Jack Grealish, who calmly slotted the ball into the far corner, silencing the boos and doubling England’s advantage.
Carsley’s side continued to press for a third before halftime. Both Gordon and Harry Kane had their close-range efforts blocked by desperate lunging tackles, but despite their dominance, England couldn’t add another before the break.
Ireland showed signs of life in the second half and came close to pulling one back around the hour mark. Chiedozie Ogbene whipped a cross into the box, and Ipswich Town’s Sammie Szmodics, signed earlier in the summer, narrowly missed the target as his curled shot drifted wide of Jordan Pickford’s post.
England, while more measured in their approach after the interval, remained a threat on the counter. Gordon tested Kelleher again with a low shot from the left wing, but the Irish goalkeeper was equal to the task, keeping the game within reach for the hosts.
With five minutes remaining, substitute Jarrod Bowen made an immediate impact, driving towards the Irish box and unleashing a powerful shot that forced another save from Kelleher.
Bukayo Saka also had a chance to put the game beyond doubt in stoppage time, curling an effort toward the far corner, but once again, Kelleher was there to deny England a third goal.
In the end, England managed the second half with minimal difficulty, comfortably maintaining their clean sheet to give Carsley his first win as head coach and a solid start to their Nations League campaign.
