England claimed a 3-0 victory over Latvia in a World Cup qualifier at Wembley Stadium on Monday, though the performance was far from convincing.

Reece James, making his first start in over two years, broke the deadlock in the 37th minute with a stunning 25-meter free kick—his first goal in 18 international appearances. England struggled to break down a determined Latvian defense, leaving the home crowd restless until midway through the second half.

Morgan Rogers combined with Declan Rice to set up Harry Kane for a simple tap-in, doubling the lead. Later, Eberechi Eze cut in from the right and saw his shot deflect into the net, securing his first international goal.

England remains the clear favorite to top Europe’s Group K and qualify for the 2026 World Cup. Coach Thomas Tuchel, overseeing only his second game in charge, was satisfied with the result but acknowledged the team’s lackluster display against an opponent ranked 136 places below them.

Tuchel praised James, whom he coached at Chelsea, saying, “Reecey’s quality is outstanding. He should be proud of his performance—he looks sharp and in great shape.” Reflecting on the match, he added, “It wasn’t easy, but we created chances. A free kick opened it up, and I’m happy with the team’s attitude, energy, and determination. We’ll improve.”

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Albania Bounces Back
In the same group, Albania recovered from Friday’s 2-0 defeat to England by securing a 3-0 home victory over Andorra. Rey Manaj scored twice in the first half, while Myrto Uzuni added a late goal in stoppage time.

Poland Stays on Top of Group G
Poland secured its second win in three days, beating Malta 2-0 with both goals coming from Karol Świderski. Meanwhile, Finland squandered a two-goal lead against Lithuania, settling for a 2-2 draw.

Kaan Kairinen and Joel Pohjanpalo put Finland ahead early, but Lithuania fought back. Armandas Kučys scored just before halftime, and Gvidas Gineitis equalized in the 69th minute with a spectacular 30-meter strike. Poland now leads Group G with six points, two ahead of Finland, which has never qualified for a World Cup.

Bosnia Maintains Perfect Start
In Group H, Bosnia and Herzegovina edged Cyprus 2-1 at home to remain unbeaten. Ermedin Demirović gave Bosnia an early lead, but Ioannis Pittas equalized for Cyprus just before halftime. However, Haris Hajradinović restored Bosnia’s advantage with a well-placed strike early in the second half.

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Romania earned its first points in the group, thrashing San Marino 5-1. Austria, the fifth team in Group H, has yet to begin its campaign.

Source: With input from agency