England outclass Ireland as Georgia drub Czech Republic

England interim manager Lee Carsley enjoyed a dream debut as goals from Declan Rice and Jack Grealish silenced their Ireland tormentors and inspired a 2-0 win in Saturday’s Nations League opener in Dublin.

Rice and Grealish, who both snubbed Ireland to represent England, scored in the first half of Carsley’s maiden game in charge following Gareth Southgate’s exit.

Southgate quit after England’s heartbreaking Euro 2024 final defeat against Spain in July.

Carsley, who guided England Under-21s to European Championship glory last year, has stepped up on a temporary basis while the Football Association seek a permanent successor to Southgate.

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe and former Chelsea manager Graham Potter are said to be among the leading contenders.

But Carsley’s hopes of landing the job himself were boosted by England’s confident display in the Nations League Group B2 victory at the Aviva Stadium.

It was a bold statement of intent from the 50-year-old, whose adventurous England were a far cry from the staid unit that twice finished as Euro runners-up under Southgate despite rarely playing to their potential.

England’s first win in Dublin since 1964 has to be placed in context given the poverty of opposition provided by Ireland

Ireland’s new manager Heimir Hallgrimsson is a qualified dentist and he may find the job of rebuilding his struggling team proves more painful than root canal treatment.

Carsley stuck by his controversial decision not to sing ‘God save the King’ before kick-off, a move that antagonised the more patriotic sections of England’s fanbase.

Birmingham-born Carsley has Irish grandparents, which allowed him to win 40 Ireland caps during his playing career, but he said on Friday that he has never sung a national anthem because he prefers to focus on the match ahead.

Promoting “a new era of friendship” between countries with a tortured political past, Irish Taoiseach Simon Harris and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer swapped football shirts ahead of the match.

There was still a hostile reception for Rice and Grealish, who were jeered by the 50,000 crowd for changing their allegiance to England despite representing Ireland at senior and Under-21 levels respectively earlier in their careers.

Neither was bothered by the taunts as Rice starred and Grealish, omitted from the Euro squad, seized the chance to shine as England’s number 10 in the absence of Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden.

Carsley’s nerves were exposed when he mistakenly sat on the Ireland bench before kick-off, but England eased their novice manager’s anxiety in the 11th minute.

Newcastle winger Anthony Gordon, who got just one minute of playing time at the Euros, accelerated onto Trent Alexander-Arnold’s raking pass for a shot that was saved by Caoimhin Kelleher.

Gordon worked the rebound back to Harry Kane and his strike deflected to Rice, who planted a fine finish into the top corner from 12 yards.

Rice took the diplomatic approach as he refused to celebrate the goal, instead opting for a placatory gesture that suggested he wanted to bury the hatchet over his England switch.

Playing with far more freedom and imagination than they could muster under Southgate, England struck again in the 26th minute.

After Alexander-Arnold and Kobbie Mainoo exchanged passes, Grealish capped a flowing move, meeting Rice’s cutback with a fine finish into the bottom corner from 10 yards.

There was no hiding Grealish’s delight as he celebrated in front of England’s supporters and put his fingers in his ears to suggest he wasn’t bothered by the Irish abuse.

Georgia thrashed the Czech Republic 4-1 on Saturday, firing home three goals in 13 minutes during the second half to cruise to victory in their Nations League Group B1 opener.

The Czechs tested the Georgian keeper early with a pair of headers in rematch of their 1-1 draw at Euro 2024 in June but Khvicha Kvaratskhelia made no mistake from the penalty spot in the 33rd minute after he was fouled by Ladislav Krejci.

Georgia doubled their lead after the restart on the counter with Giorgi Chakvetadze sliding the ball through the Czech keeper’s legs before Georges Mikautadze and Giorgi Kochorashvili netted three minutes apart in the 63rd and 66th minute.

Agencies