England's World Cup qualification campaign continued with a hard-fought victory in Riga, though Gareth Southgate's side failed to produce the commanding performance fans had hoped for against a resilient Latvian team.
Three Points But Questions Remain
While the scoreboard shows another three points in England's quest for World Cup 2026 qualification, the performance in the Latvian capital will do little to silence Southgate's critics. The Three Lions struggled to break down a well-organised Latvian defence for large periods of the match, raising concerns about the team's creativity against disciplined opposition.
Match Highlights and Key Moments
The game followed a familiar pattern for England in recent qualifiers - dominant possession but frustratingly few clear-cut chances. Latvia's tactical discipline made life difficult for England's attacking players, who often found themselves crowded out in the final third.
Several England players had opportunities to open the scoring in the first half, but wayward finishing and last-ditch Latvian defending kept the game level going into the break.
Southgate's Selection Headaches
The England manager's team selection and substitutions will inevitably come under scrutiny following this performance. Despite having considerable attacking talent at his disposal, Southgate's side lacked the cutting edge needed to comfortably dispatch a team ranked significantly below them.
Questions will be asked about whether changes are needed to England's approach in these types of matches, where breaking down deep-lying defences has proven problematic.
What This Means for Qualification
Despite the underwhelming performance, the victory keeps England firmly on course for World Cup qualification. The three points maintain their strong position in the group, though the performance serves as a reminder that there are no easy games in international football.
Attention now turns to England's next qualifier, where improvement will be expected against more formidable opposition. Southgate and his players have work to do if they're to convince supporters they can compete with the world's best in 2026.
