England v Latvia LIVE: Score and updates as gorgeous James free-kick provides Three Lions lead over minnows

Kane ‘more confident’ with England – Tuchel

Thomas Tuchel kicked off his tenure as England manager with a professional if slightly dull 2-0 victory over Albania at Wembley on Friday night.

Myles Lewis-Skelly scored his first international goal on his senior debut while Harry Kane extended his record tally to 70 goals for the national team.

Despite the win, England’s performance was very reminiscent of the Gareth Southgate era with controlled possession, slow build-up and a lack of runners in the wide areas. Marcus Rashford and Phil Foden took on the latter roles and Tuchel has explained ‘what more he wants’ as he seeks to bring Premier League intensity to the international game.

Anthony Gordon has withdrawn from the squad after picking up a hip injury against Albania and there have been four changes to the starting XI with Reece James, Marc Guehi, Morgan Rogers and Jarrod Bowen all getting the nod.

Follow all the updates and action with our live blog below as England face Latvia at Wembley:

CHANCE! England 0-0 Latvia, 24 mins

England turning the screw now. Another chance as James gets to the byline and stands up a cross.

Kane has three defenders around him but eases one away from him to find space, has a clean look at the header and powers it over the bar. He would have fancied getting that on target – good work to create space but the finish not his best

(Getty Images)
Luke Baker24 March 2025 20:11

SAVE! England 0-0 Latvia, 22 mins

England could be 1-0 up here. They win a corner, it’s nicely whipped in and Bellingham has a great chance with a header but it’s blocked as it goes goalwards. It falls to Konsa who hammers it at goal and Zviedris somehow pushes it over the bar.

Brilliant stop by the Latvia keeper. More or less straight at him but quick reactions to tip it over, because the shot had power from Konsa.

Another Bellingham free header from the subsequent corner but this one is over the bar.

Luke Baker24 March 2025 20:09

CHANCE! England 0-0 Latvia, 19 mins

Rashford finding a bit of space down the left. He dinks in a cross, it falls to Rogers 10 yards out but his shot is blocked by a desperate defender before Bowen thrashes at the rebound but it flies ride

But then a genuine chance for Latvia at the other end! An awful mix-up between Guehi and Pickford as the defender accidentally nicks it past the Everton keeper as he comes haring out, Latvia striker Gutkovskis gets on the end of it but his shot from a narrow-ish angle is into the side netting.

Surely he won’t get a better look than that? The goal was gaping, even if the angle wasn’t perfect.

Luke Baker24 March 2025 20:05

England 0-0 Latvia, 16 mins

Rogers makes another clever run but Bowne’s reverse pass is just blocked.

The West Ham star then ghosts in at the back post to get on the end of a deep Rashford cross but it’s just too far for him to nod back across goal.

(Action Images via Reuters)
Luke Baker24 March 2025 20:00

England 0-0 Latvia, 13 mins

Savalnieks runs at James and gets past him before winning a corner. Bowen was helping the Chelsea right-back but seemed to be appealing for a foul.

Rogers heads away the corner but the ref blows for a foul on Konsa anyway.

Luke Baker24 March 2025 19:58

England 0-0 Latvia, 11 mins

Rogers jinks through the defence but gets crowded out on the edge of the box, trying to slip in Kane. that sort of go-forward is what Tuchel would have wanted from the Aston Villa man.

England have played basically the whole match in Latvia’s half so far but they’re still looking for the first meaningful breach of the low block and 11 men behind the ball.

Quicker ball movement and Bellingham shots from distance but it’s well blocked

Luke Baker24 March 2025 19:56

England 0-0 Latvia, 8 mins

James has absolutely laid out Ciganiks as they both competed for a headed ball. Robust challenge – no quarter given.

James will want to prove himself at right-back after injury has limited his England chances in the last couple of years.

Bellingham then gets a bit of space down the left but Jaunzems comes in with a good slide tackle

Luke Baker24 March 2025 19:52

England 0-0 Latvia, 5 mins

Rashford fizzes a reverse pass through the defence but it’s just a shade too far for Bellingham who had made a lovely run, and goes out for a goal-kick.

Bellingham looks like he’s playing a touch deeper than Rogers but not properly alongside Rice to form a midfield duo. Closer to the 4-1-4-1 Tuchel talked about than a true 4-2-3-1

Luke Baker24 March 2025 19:50

England 0-0 Latvia, 2 mins

Bowen harries the Latvia defence with the press and nicks the ball away but it just rolls into touch.

England’s press is intense early on before keeping possession and feeling their opponents out in the early going.

Luke Baker24 March 2025 19:47

KICK-OFF! England 0-0 Latvia

And we’re underway at Wembley. How many will England win by tonight in their first-ever game against Latvia?

Luke Baker24 March 2025 19:45