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England avenged their shock defeat to Greece at Wembley last month as Lee Carsley’s side kept their chances of promotion back to Nations League A alive with a generally positive performance in a 3-0 win in Athens.
England flew out of the blocks at the Athens Olympic Stadium with Noni Madueke and Jude Bellingham particularly impressing and they both had a key hand in Ollie Watkins’s seventh-minute goal.
However, Greece came back into the game as the first half wore on, with Kostas Tsimikas forcing Jordan Pickford into a good save and the pressure built even further after the break, when it took another superb Pickford stop to deny Fotis Ioannidis.
But the Three Lions rode out the pressure and eventually got a vital second goal on 77 minutes when Bellingham’s shot hit the post and went in off the back of Odysseas Vlachodimos’s legs before Curtis Jones’s clever flicked finish late on sealed a much-needed win.
Here are how the England players rated as Carsley’s side gained revenge in their latest Nations League clash:
Jordan Pickford – 9
Produced a superb save at his near post from Kostas Tsimikas on the half-hour mark and then an even better one from Fotis Ioannidis on 63 minutes. Was repeatedly quick off his line when he needed to be but it’s his distribution which truly makes him stand out from his rivals for the No 1 jersey. It was largely on point in Athens, mixing up going short and long, although he was booked by a card-happy referee midway through the first half for holding on to the ball. A very good display from the Everton man.
Kyle Walker – 6
Captain for the night with Harry Kane benched, Greece’s best chance of the first half came down his side when Tsimikas waltzed into the box and his shot required a good Pickford save, although Noni Madueke was probably more at fault. Seemed slightly in two minds over how to deal with Christos Tzolis drifting infield and there’s a nagging feeling he may not be England’s go-to right-back for very much longer. Forced to switch to centre-back when Lewis Hall came on for Ezri Konsa at half-time and battled gamely, although was outmuscled by Ioannidis for his glorious opportuniy saved by Pickford.
Marc Guehi – 8
With England dominating possession, he was called into action more as a ball-player than defender and, as ever, looked comfortable in that role, producing a couple of particularly incisive passes. A crucial interception late in the first half when Ollie Watkins had lost the ball and he’s deservedly now one of England’s first-choice centre-backs.
Ezri Konsa – 6
Like Guehi, tested in possession in the first half and largely passed the examination in a solid enough performance. Was subbed off at half-time, seemingly with an injury, with Hall coming on for the Aston Villa man, causing a reshuffle of England’s backline.
Rico Lewis – 8
The lack of consistent Greek threat allowed the left-back to drift into a central midfield role at points and he would often pop up in the final third, showing flashes of good link-up play with the attackers, most notably when he slid a superb ball through for Watkins on the stroke of half-time. Sent to right-back in England’s half-time reshuffle, where he marauded forward even more and promptly forced a good save from Odysseas Vlachodimos after linking well with Madueke. Lively.
Conor Gallagher – 7
Rotated with Curtis Jones as to who was the deepest of England’s midfielders, dropping between the centre-backs to pick up the ball, although a needless early yellow card for delaying the restart was less than ideal and left him walking a tightrope for much of the game. Generally tidied things well, had his usual terrier-like work-rate and pushed forward at points. Solid if unspectacular.
Curtis Jones – 8
Looked comfortable on the ball, even when handed possession under pressure, and dovetailed decently enough with Conor Gallagher. The highlight was undoubtedly his clever flicked finish for the third goal on 83 minutes and it capped a very nice England debut, where he didn’t look out of place at all. He’ll have plenty more chances to impress in the coming months and years.
Jude Bellingham – 9
A touch of class early on to send Madueke – who he linked up well with all night – racing clear down the right in the build-up to the opening goal although got himself booked for arguing with the referee soon after. Could have scored when his looped header hit the post shortly after half-time and did create the second goal as his thumping shot cannoned off the woodwork again before bouncing in off the back of the legs of the unfortunate Vlachodimos. Just so composed, seems to have more time on the ball than any other player on the pitch and an unerring ability to weave his way out of culs-de-sac with his quick feet, while his driving runs also kept Greece pegged back.
Noni Madueke – 9
Consistently makes things happen in an England shirt early in his career and Tsimikas simply couldn’t deal with his direct, dangerous running down the right. Lovely backheel, then a neat assist when he charged into the box and squared the ball for Ollie Watkins for the opening goal and was at the heart of pretty much all of his side’s impressive pressure. Only downside came defensively when he lost track of Tsimikas’s forward run for the Greek’s golden first-half chance but a brilliant 65 minutes on the whole. Has been one of the real success stories of Carsley’s tenure.
Anthony Gordon – 6
Got at Lazaros Rota early, using his pace to give the Greece right-back fits and also pressed hard. Was cutting inside and finding space but drifted out of the game as the first half wore on and England found more joy through Madueke down the right. Taken off as part of the triple substitution replacing the entire frontline on 65 minutes.
Ollie Watkins – 7
Chosen to start up top ahead of Kane because of his superior pressing ability but the Aston Villa striker showed his prowess in front of goal inside seven minutes by finding space on the six-yard box and turning home Madueke’s pass. Lost the ball on a couple of occasions with heavy touches and wasted Rico Lewis’s stunning through-ball on the stroke of half-time when he got it stuck between his feet but was mostly a threatening, pacy presence until being subbed off on 65 minutes when the whole frontline was replaced.
Substitutes: Lewis Hall – on 45 (7), Morgan Rogers – on 65 (7), Jarrod Bowen – on 65 (7), Harry Kane – on 65 (6), Morgan Gibbs-White – on 78 (7)
