Lee Carsley faced his first hurdles as England’s stand-in coach following an audacious lineup choice that went awry, leading to a 2-1 defeat against Greece in the Nations League on Thursday.
Meanwhile, at just 24, Erling Haaland set a new milestone for Norway by becoming the top scorer with his brace in a commanding 3-0 victory over Slovakia. On the flip side, even without the iconic figures of Kylian Mbappé and the retired Antoine Griezmann, France comfortably overpowered Israel 4-1.
Carsley, having steered England to two consecutive wins since assuming his temporary role post-European Championship, decided to experiment and chose a team devoid of a recognized striker due to skipper Harry Kane’s injury.
On paper, the squad appeared thrilling, yet on the pitch, it was a muddle as Greece skillfully exploited gaps in England’s defense.
Vangelis Pavlidis put Greece ahead at Wembley in the 49th minute. Jude Bellingham managed to level the score in the 87th, but Pavlidis struck again, capitalizing on England’s defensive frailties, clinching Greece’s victory in the fourth minute of stoppage time.
Despite three goals being ruled out, the Greek squad rejoiced in one of their most memorable triumphs, paying homage to George Baldock, the Panathinaikos player who passed away earlier in the week at 31. To honor him, they held up his No. 2 jersey and observed a moment of silence pre-match, with black armbands worn in his memory.
“Everything we did was for him,” said Pavlidis, remembering Baldock as a “remarkable bloke.”
This loss against Greece handed Carsley a major setback in his bid to make his tenure with England permanent, marking their first-ever defeat by the 48th-ranked Greeks in ten contests.
The game plan was meant to be innovative, featuring Chelsea’s Cole Palmer making his competitive international debut in the center, with Phil Foden and Bellingham taking turns in advanced roles amid a midfielder-heavy attack.
However, it fell flat.
“We never gave ourselves a genuine opportunity to determine whether it was wise or misguided,” reflected Carsley, who maintained it was not a mere “trial.”
“Considering the talent we possess, we need to dare with our tactics and be inventive. It was crucial to attempt something novel. At no point did I consider it a solved puzzle. It was about exploring the unexplored.”
Haaland’s Ascendancy:
Haaland netted two goals, elevating his tally to 34 for Norway, surpassing Jorgen Juve’s long-standing record from the 1930s.
Already boasting 11 goals this season for Manchester City across different tournaments, Haaland was captaining Norway for the first time in his 36th international match.
Alexander Sørloth also found the back of the net for Norway.
Navigating Without Mbappé:
Mbappé, despite playing recently for Real Madrid, missed France’s call-up due to a light injury. Additionally, Griezmann’s unexpected retirement marked a fresh chapter for coach Didier Deschamps’ team.
Late strikes by Matteo Guendouzi and Bradley Barcola sealed France’s triumph after earlier goals from Eduardo Camavinga and Christopher Nkunku.
The contest took place in Budapest, with Israeli teams playing abroad, owing to security concerns dating back to the Hamas incidents a year prior.
Turning Points in Rome:
Lorenzo Pellegrini’s red card was pivotal in Italy’s squandered 2-0 lead, resulting in a 2-2 draw with Belgium.
Andrea Cambiaso opened the scoring for Italy within the first minute, with Mateo Retegui doubling the lead in the 24th.
Pellegrini was ejected for a foul on Arthur Theate, initially deemed a yellow card offense but reviewed to a red by VAR.
Maxim De Cuyper converted a well-orchestrated free-kick, and Leandro Trossard netted the equalizer in the 61st.
Edited by: Ali Musa
alimusa@axadletimes.com
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