It was never going to be about the victory. It had been inevitable for England against the team ranked 140 in the world. Is this the famous English arrogance? Maybe. What it was always going to be about was the manner of it. Whether there were any signs of Thomas Tuchel getting his messages across, sprinkling his magic.
It was easy to enjoy the Mexican wave rippling around Wembley in the 75th minute, shortly after Harry Kane had made it 2-0 and just before Eberechi Eze, on as a substitute, made a few stepovers and watched his shot deflect in off the Latvia captain, Antonijs Cernomordijs, for No 3.
There had been a lovely moment towards the end of the first half, too, Reece James curling home a stunning 25-yard free-kick. It was his first start for England since September 2022 and his first international goal.
Yet it was a mixed bag for Tuchel’s team. It is never ideal when the onus is on England to break down ultra-defensive opponents. But there were spells in the opening 45 minutes and for pretty much all of the first half of the second period when England were predictable in possession, lacking tempo, taking too many touches and it all felt a little unsatisfactory.
Jude Bellingham was lucky not to be dismissed for a second yellow card, which would have put an entirely different complexion on the occasion. Tuchel can reflect on a solid enough start after Friday’s 2-0 win here over Albania. It has not been spectacular.
Latvia had beaten Andorra 1-0 on Friday night and, as such, they kicked off level on points with England at the top of Group K. So, rivals? Nobody inside Wembley saw it that way. There was hardly an England fan who really saw Latvia at all.
Tuchel turned the dial with his selection, giving Morgan Rogers his full debut in one of the No 10 positions; Bellingham was in the other. Call them half 10s or double 10s. Tuchel’s tactical language is infectious.
The Wembley crowd have seen this type of qualifier on loop for decades; the question perennial. When would England make the incision against compact 5-4-1 opponents? Tuchel asked Myles Lewis-Skelly to step up and across into midfield from left- back when England had possession and the attacking five sought to make it happen.
It was an attritional first half, too congested for England’s liking. They struggled to move the ball with sufficient speed. But when the breakthrough came, it was a beauty. James had made an erratic start, looking too hyped up. He banged his shoulder into Andrejs Ciganiks in an aerial challenge and was fortunate to escape a booking. He overhit a cross. He looked a little vulnerable defensively.
It was all overtaken by the purity of his free-kick technique. James could not have placed the ball any more accurately into the top corner if he had stood on the line and done so with his hands.
Reece James curls in a stunning free-kick to give England the lead. Photograph: Toby Melville/Reuters
England had a weird moment on 18 minutes when Jordan Pickford raced from his line and unnerved Marc Guéhi, who was running back with Vladislavs Gutkovskis. Guéhi touched the ball away from the goalkeeper and the Latvia No 9 could see an empty net, albeit from a very tight angle. He could not find it; a big chance spurned.
Apart from that, it was England’s attack against Latvia’s massed defence. Marcus Rashford had got the memo to take on his man; he was positive, even if the end product was elusive. He might have had a penalty only to go down too easily when Roberts Savalnieks challenged him. Jarrod Bowen should have had one when the goalkeeper, Krisjanis Zviedris, went into him after dropping a high ball. It was a surprise when the VAR did not agree.
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Bellingham fluffed a free header from a corner, the ball hitting Rashford and, when it broke, Ezri Konsa’s shot was brilliantly turned over by Zviedris. Kane headed a half-chance high. Rogers was not decisive enough after a low Bowen pull-back. England should have had more by half-time.
It was a huge crowd, given the opposition, given it was a Monday night, although it was less to do with the dawn of a new era, more to do with the fact that this is just how it is. The fans have turned out in their droves for years and they were entitled to expect some entertainment. They ought not to have needed to provide it themselves with their paper planes.
Eberechi Eze after scoring his first senior England goal. Photograph: John Walton/PA
Bellingham felt the frustration. He had been booked at the end of the first period after he allowed the ball to get away from him and, in an effort to retrieve it, he stamped into Dmitrijs Zelenkovs. Which made his full-blooded slide challenge on Raivis Jurkovskis in the 56th minute risky to say the least.
Bellingham got none of the ball and he crashed into his man, catching him with his trailing knee. The referee, Orel Grinfeeld, spared him what appeared to be a clear second yellow card. It is the kind of rush of blood that England dread in a tournament tie.
Kane would stir his team around the midway point of the second half. He was narrowly off target after a move involving Lewis-Skelly and Bellingham. He was then on target at the far post, turning home after Declan Rice had surged on to a Rogers pass to cross. England could have had more by the end, Rogers going close more than once. Tuchel has plenty to ponder.
