Sun Oct 13 18:59:21 UTC 2024: ## England Ease Past Finland in Under-21s Friendly

**England’s under-21 team bounced back from their recent disappointment against Greece with a comfortable 3-1 victory over Finland in a friendly match at Wembley Stadium.** The game, which served as preparation for the upcoming European Under-21 Championship, saw manager Lee Carsley field a more controlled and measured performance compared to the high-risk, high-reward approach that backfired against Greece.

**Jack Grealish opened the scoring with a cool finish after a clever flick from Angel Gomes**, marking his third start under Carsley. **Trent Alexander-Arnold then curled home a sumptuous free-kick**, showcasing his technical prowess and providing England with a two-goal cushion.

**Declan Rice added a third goal** from a cross by substitute Ollie Watkins, before Finland pulled one back through Arttu Hoskonen’s late header. Despite the late consolation, the game was largely dominated by England, who displayed a more composed and disciplined approach than in their previous encounter.

**The game also saw the full England debut of goalkeeper Dean Henderson**, who impressed with several comfortable saves.

**The performance was a positive step for Carsley and his team**, who will now look to build on this momentum as they prepare for the European Under-21 Championship. While the Carsley question – concerning his future after his interim tenure ends in November – remains unanswered, his team’s performance against Finland suggests a return to his former role with the under-21s is the most likely outcome.

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