Image: Jarrod Bowen scores within three seconds of coming on. Image Englandfootball.com
If ever a game of football is changed in ten seconds it happened at Wembley today. Ireland had defended against England for 51 minutes not allowing even one shot on goal, when Harry Kane, who many had called to be switched for Ollie Watkins at half time, played what he later described as the best pass in his career, lifting it to Jude Bellingham whose control and turn fooled Liam Scales into tripping him. A clear penalty, a clear yellow card, but unfortunately for Scales and his nation, his second. So it was a penalty and a red card. Kane scored, of course, and then the flood gates opened.
Space was suddenly available on the wings for Madueke and Gordon to exploit, midfielders poured forwards, and goals flowed. Four England youngsters added goals, each of them the first for the country, each of them excellent strikes. Gordon getting number two, Gallagher number three, and then Bowen came on, England had a free kick when he ran on the pitch, Bellingham crossed it and he hammered it home for number four. He had been on for around three seconds. Finally Harwood-Bellis got the fifth and a deflated Ireland looked shattered.
There are some major questions, all beginning “What if?” The first is what if Watkins had replaced Kane, would the penalty have been won? There had been no sign that England had any idea how to break down the organised and compact Irish defence. His pass was pure quality, and of course Kane burying the spot kick was never in doubt.
But the other is harder to tell. What if England had scraped home against Greece six weeks ago, then had the next results with straight wins leading to promotion? Would he have been offered the job? Would he have accepted it. Also, what if the regular first team players were available, would these last two results have been achieved? Carsley has been Under 21 manager for a long time and the players who came in were in his squads from that time, so he knew them and they knew him. And they looked magnificent.
But all that is irrelevant, and we have seen young English players thriving, scoring, and having the confidence to attack with purpose. As for Ireland, their what if must be, what if Scales had not got an earlier yellow card and they stayed with 11 on the pitch? We will never know, and frankly the England supporters leaving Wembley really don’t care. They had a most enjoyable 45 minutes, at least.
Jude Bellingham was chosen as Man of the Match, although the real difference was made by that small red card. To relive the match with me, you can click here.
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