Declan Rice and Jack Grealish returned to haunt the Republic of Ireland as Lee Carsley’s first match as interim England manager ended in a comfortable Nations League victory in Dublin.
Saturday’s sold-out Aviva Stadium clash marked the start of new eras for both teams as Heimir Hallgrimsson led the hosts against a nation beginning life after Gareth Southgate.
England impressed in their first match since losing July’s Euro 2024 final, with Rice and Grealish setting Carsley on course for an impressive 2-0 win over the nation he played for 40 times as a player.
The interim boss stayed silent during ‘God Save the King’, just as he had indicated he would before the match against the country his goalscorers previously represented.
Rice won three senior caps for the Republic and fired England into an early lead, which former Ireland Under-21 international Grealish added to during a one-sided first half.
“Two nil to the Irish boys” sung visiting fans on an afternoon when Hallgrimsson’s hosts never looked like getting back into it as Carsley enjoyed a winning start to life in the Nations League second tier.
Carsley feeling proud
Carsley said: "I was looking forward so much to today and it’s the proudest day of my football career. You couldn’t have written it, really.
“I saw the draw a while back and I thought to myself ‘that’s going to be a really good game’. Then if you fast forward and two weeks ago, it sinks in that ‘OK, yeah, I am going to take over the team – the first game’s in Dublin’.
“I knew it was going to be a good experience but a bit of a test also.”
Carsley’s own Irish history led to an amusing pre-match moment as the former midfielder headed to the wrong bench at the Aviva Stadium.
“I did go down the tunnel and turn right,” the former Republic midfielder said with a smile.
“As you know, I spent a lot of time on the bench so I know exactly where that is!
“Then I realised that no-one was on there and that the other coaches were on the other bench, so it was quickly resolved.”
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