England sunk at Wembley as Pavlidis hits late winner for Greece

Vangelis Pavlidis scored deep in second-half stoppage time to condemn England to a 2-1 UEFA Nations League defeat to Greece at Wembley.

Pavlidis slammed home his second of the game after scrappy defending in the England penalty area in the 94th minute.

England thought they had snatched a draw when Jude Bellingham lashed in an equaliser with three minutes of normal time remaining.

Yet Lee Carsley’s team – who were second best throughout – got what they deserved for slack play at the back.

The result marks England’s first competitive loss at Wembley in four years, and their first ever defeat to Greece, while Carsley took a knock in the third match of his interim tenure.

Carsley went with an experimental starting XI in the absence of Harry Kane, choosing to start Anthony Gordon, Bukayo Saka, Cole Palmer, Phil Foden and Bellingham, but not playing a recognised forward despite having Ollie Watkins and Dominic Solanke in reserve.

The warning signs were there early from Greece – Pavlidis curling wide before a calamitous error from Jordan Pickford resulted in Levi Colwill having to make a goalline clearance, while Konstantinos Mavropanos had a header disallowed for offside.

Palmer sliced over from England’s best opening, but Pavlidis’ 49th-minute opener hardly came against the run of play. He dribbled his way through four defenders before bending a neat finish beyond Pickford – Greece’s first goal at Wembley.

Pavlidis might have had an assist when he squared for Giorgos Masouras soon after, only for the offside flag to deny Greece, who saw another goal ruled out when Pavlidis drifted ahead of the play before tucking home in the 83rd minute.

Bellingham’s powerful long-range finish appeared to have dragged England out of the mud, yet Greece had other ideas, and after some terrible defending from stand-in captain John Stones and his Manchester City team-mate Rico Lewis, Pavlidis drilled in a deserved winner for the visitors, who moved three points clear at the top of Group B2.

Talking Point – Carsley’s experiment falls flat

Carsley tried to give the England fans what they wanted, but by crowbarring in Gordon, Saka, Foden, Palmer and Bellingham, it was a case of too many chefs spoiling the broth.

England had no focal point, and the lopsided nature of their team meant Declan Rice – who was poor – was unable to shield an exposed defence, behind which Pickford was shaky.

Kane will be back soon enough, but Carsley did not react quickly enough in game, and it will perhaps give the FA’s decision makers cause for concern.

Player of the Match – Vangelis Pavlidis (Greece)

No surprises for guessing this one! Pavlidis was brilliant, and well worthy of his two goals. Indeed, he could easily have had a hat-trick – at least, given he also went close early on.

England’s centre-backs just could not handle the Benfica forward, who dedicated his first goal to his former national team-mate George Baldock, who passed away in Athens on Wednesday.

It was an emotional, historic night for Greece, and one that will live long in the memory.

Player Ratings

England: Pickford 3, Alexander-Arnold 6, Stones 5, Colwill 6, Lewis 4, Rice 4, Bellingham 7, Saka 3, Palmer 4, Foden 3, Gordon 4. Subs: Madueke 6, Watkins 6, Solanke 5.

Greece: Vlachodimos 5, Rota 7, Mavropanos 8, Koulierakis 7, Giannoulis 7, Siopis 6, Kourbelis 7, Masouras 7, Bakasetas 6, Tzolis 7, Pavlidis 9*. Subs: Vagiannidis 6, Pelkas 6, Konstantelias 6, Zafeiris 6, Mantalos 6.

Match Highlights

10 – Chance! England 0-0 Greece (Bakasetas): What a calamity that could have been from Pickford! He has so often been brilliant for England, but the goalkeeper has Colwill to thank after a ridiculous mistake. Having come out well to claim a loose ball, Pickford hesitates on it and is robbed of possession. An effort is swiftly dinked towards a gaping goal by Bakasetas, but Colwill races back to spare his goalkeeper’s blushes and hook it brilliantly off the line.

11’ – No goal! England 0-0 Greece (Mavropanos): From the following corner, England are caught all at sea, with Pickford twice coming off his line unconvincingly. The second time sees him miss the ball and take out one of his team-mates, with Mavropanos able to head home, but the centre-back was in an offside position.

22’ – Miss! England 0-0 Greece (Palmer): That should be 1-0 to England! Gordon does brilliantly to create space and prod a pass through to Bellingham, who had made a charging run in behind Greece’s defence. He squares up his marker and lays it back to the onrushing Palmer, but the 22-year-old slams his effort over the bar from 10 yards out. Bad miss!

49’ – Goal! England 0-1 Greece (Pavlidis): There’s the goal, and perhaps Carsley should have changed it at half-time after all! England have not come out alert, and the goal that Greece threatened before the break arrives. It comes through Pavlidis, who brilliantly danced his way through four defenders before slotting home beyond Pickford. He races towards the corner flag, pointing to the black armband on his arm before hauling it off and pointing to the sky, before his team-mates bring out a Greek ‘Baldock’ shirt.

59’ – No goal! England 0-1 Greece (Masouras): Carsley should have changed this much sooner, and if he wishes to get the England job on a full-time basis, he’ll have to be a bit more flexible when it’s clear a tactical plan just isn’t working. A long ball down the left catches England’s defence out cold, with Pavlidis released in behind. He squares it for Masouras, who lashes home, but the move is pulled back for offside.

83’ – No goal! England 0-1 Greece (Pavlidis): Greece think they have a second after Pavlidis tucks home from close range. England conceded possession sloppily in their own third, with Tzolis capitalising and sliding it across for Pavlidis to tuck home. But a VAR check shows that the Greek forward had just strayed offside before the ball was played across.

87’ – Goal! England 1-1 Greece (Bellingham): Out of nowhere, England are level, and it’s that man Bellingham who gets the goal! Never one to shy away in a big moment, Bellingham screams at Palmer to leave it alone as the ball is rolled outside the penalty area. With plenty of conviction, Bellingham meets it in his stride and sends a wicked side-footed strike towards the right-hand corner. Vlachodimos gets a hand to it, and perhaps should save it, but instead parries it into the net.

94’ – Goal! England 1-2 Greece (Pavlidis): That’s it now! England thought they had rescued it, but Greece have what must surely be their winner??? It’s terrible, terrible defending from the Three Lions as both Stones and Lewis fail to clear their lines. The ball falls to Pavlidis and, after setting himself, he slams home past Pickford. This time it will count, and surely this sets the stage for Greece to claim their first ever win over England!

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