Nations League: England top group, Scotland and Northern Ireland in action on Friday
Image credit, PA Media
Liverpool's Curtis Jones netted a goal in his first match with the England national team, and it was an impressive strike!
On Thursday night, England secured a solid 3-0 victory over Greece, bringing them closer to reaching the upper levels of the Uefa Nations League.
Ollie Watkins scored the opening goal in the seventh minute, marking the quickest goal for England in the past three years.
They increased their lead in the second half when Jude Bellingham's shot hit the post, deflected off the Greek goalkeeper, and went into the goal.
Next, Curtis Jones from Liverpool made an astonishing back-heel goal during his first appearance for the Three Lions.
If they secure another victory over the Republic of Ireland on Sunday, they'll move up to League A, becoming part of the top tier in the Nations League tournament.
Understanding How The Nations League Works
Following the victory, England's captain, Harry Kane, took a moment to pose for a selfie with one of the ball kids at the Olympic Stadium in Athens, Greece.
The European international tournament is divided into four different tiers: League A, League B, League C, and League D.
The top-performing teams are placed into groups in League A, while the teams with the lowest rankings are moved down to League D.
The teams that secure the top two positions in each of the four groups will advance to the quarter-finals in March.
The victors of these matches will advance to the semi-finals and subsequently compete in the final, which will take place in June.
A favorable outcome for England will lead to a somewhat simpler path to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
How Do The Other Home Nations Compare?
Grant Hanley is looking forward to the support from the fans at Hampden to help energize the Scotland team.
Scotland will go up against Croatia on Friday evening in a bid to steer clear of being demoted from League A.
Mateo Kovacic, the Manchester City midfielder, has indicated that he anticipates a challenging match against a Scotland team known for its "aggressive" style of play.
"I've faced Scotland multiple times, and it's always been a challenge," he remarked.
"They'll come at us strong since they're playing on their home turf, and competing in Scotland is always a tough challenge. However, we've put in a lot of effort this week, and we’re optimistic about achieving a positive outcome."
At the same time, Northern Ireland has the chance to move up to League B if they secure victories in their last two matches against Belarus and Luxembourg.
They will compete against Belarus on Friday night at 19:45 GMT.
On Saturday, Wales will compete against Turkey.
If Wales defeats Turkey in their away match and then wins against Iceland next Tuesday, they will take the top spot in Group B4 and earn their place in League A.
