England secured a 3-1 victory over Finland in their latest Nations League clash, led by an impressive performance from midfielder Angel Gomes.
The win helped the "Three Lions" bounce back from their recent defeat to Greece and showcased the emergence of Gomes as a key figure in England's midfield.
Gomes, playing alongside Declan Rice, orchestrated England's attack and set the tempo throughout the match at the Helsinki Olympic Stadium. His standout moment came in the 18th minute when he delivered a delicate, perfectly-timed pass to Jack Grealish, who calmly slotted the ball past Finnish goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky to give England a 1-0 lead.
Grealish, who had expressed frustration over being left out of the squad for the last European Championship, proved his worth with the opening goal.
In a pre-match interview, the winger called his exclusion from the previous Euro "the hardest month" of his life, but his return to the squad under interim coach Lee Carsley has allowed him to shine again.
England's second-half performance, while lacking sparkle, remained stable, as Finland struggled to mount any serious offensive threat. Trent Alexander-Arnold extended the lead with a sublime free-kick, and Rice sealed the victory with a simple tap-in after a swift counterattack led by Ollie Watkins. Finland’s late goal by Hoskonen proved to be little more than a consolation.
With several key players absent, including Jordan Pickford, Phil Foden, and Bukayo Saka, England fielded a lineup featuring Henderson, Grealish, and Kane. Despite Finland’s early attempt to threaten after a mistake from Marc Guéhi, they failed to capitalize, and England grew stronger under Gomes’ influence.
The partnership of Rice and Gomes brought a newfound balance to the midfield—an area England has been struggling to stabilize since their Euro 2020 final loss to Italy. Previous experiments with Kalvin Phillips faltered due to his inconsistent form, leading to his recent move to Ipswich.
Gomes, who shone in England's U-17 World Cup victory in 2017 but faced a challenging journey to establish himself at the senior level, has now cemented his place in the team. After an up-and-down stint at Manchester United and a loan spell at Boavista, the diminutive midfielder (1.68 m) found his stride at Lille under Paulo Fonseca, who positioned him in more creative roles.
Carsley, in his interim role, has given Gomes the platform to succeed, and the young midfielder has not disappointed. In just four matches, he has quickly become England's guiding star.
Sunday’s win marked his second start in the Nations League, and his control over the game was evident, offering England the stability they have long sought.
While Grealish, Alexander-Arnold, and Rice grabbed the headlines with their goals, it was Angel Gomes who orchestrated England's triumph, leading them to a crucial win in their Nations League campaign.
