Reece James marked his return with a sensational free-kick as England defeated Latvia 3-0 in a World Cup qualifier at Wembley Stadium on Monday. Making his first start since September 2022, James curled a stunning shot into the top corner in the 37th minute, breaking the deadlock against a resilient Latvian defense.
The Three Lions extended their lead in the second half when young midfielder Morgan Rogers combined brilliantly with Declan Rice, setting up Harry Kane for a simple tap-in. Eberechi Eze sealed the victory, cutting in from the right before his deflected shot found the back of the net, securing his first international goal.
England, the favorite in Europe’s Group K, continues its strong campaign to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. New coach Thomas Tuchel celebrated his second win in charge but acknowledged room for improvement. “I know Reecey and the quality the boy has is amazing,” Tuchel said of James’s performance. “He has every right to be proud and happy with his performance. He is in excellent shape. He looks sharp, in shape, and the quality there can be no doubt.”
In other Group K action, Albania bounced back from their defeat to England by beating Andorra 3-0, with Rey Manaj scoring twice and Myrto Uzuni adding a late goal. Across Europe, Poland secured a 4-0 victory over Malta in Group G, while Finland drew 2-2 with Lithuania after surrendering a two-goal lead.
Group H saw Bosnia and Herzegovina maintain their perfect record with a 2-1 win over Cyprus, and Romania earned their first points by defeating San Marino 5-1. Austria has yet to begin its qualification campaign.
