England Set to Face Latvia in First World Cup Qualifying Encounter

England will kick off their second match of the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign on Monday night against Latvia. This matchup marks the inaugural meeting between the two teams, adding a layer of intrigue to the encounter at Wembley Stadium.

Recent Performance of the Three Lions

The England national team, now managed by Thomas Tuchel, began their qualifying journey with a commanding 2-0 victory over Albania on Friday. Although the performance did not thrill fans, the squad exhibited a strong sense of unity, resembling a cohesive club team. Following the match, Tuchel expressed optimism about the potential growth of his team moving forward.

Despite struggling to break through a deep-lying Albanian defense, signs of a strong team dynamic were evident. Tuchel’s side will look to build on this momentum as they prepare to face Latvia.

Latvia’s Journey in World Cup Qualifying

Latvia, ranked 140th in the world and sitting just above Burundi and the Dominican Republic, approached the World Cup qualifiers with low expectations. However, the team surprised many by securing a 1-0 victory against Andorra, who is ranked 171st, in their first qualifying match. Led by former Italy U21 coach Paolo Nicolato, Latvia will look to seize the opportunity of facing a football powerhouse like England.

Team News and Predictions

England faces a setback with the withdrawal of Anthony Gordon due to a hip injury sustained during the match against Albania. This injury opens the door for Marcus Rashford, who is expected to retain his position on the left wing. Manager Tuchel is also likely to introduce Jarrod Bowen to the starting lineup, replacing Phil Foden.

Tuchel aims to provide experience to various players in his squad, possibly making more changes from Friday's lineup. Players such as Dean Henderson, Marc Guehi, Levi Colwill, and Dominic Solanke, who did not feature in the last match, may be called upon against Latvia.

The predicted lineup for England is as follows (4-2-3-1):

  • Goalkeeper: Dean Henderson
  • Defenders: Reece James, Marc Guehi, Levi Colwill, Lewis-Skelly
  • Midfielders: Samuel Jones, Declan Rice
  • Forwards: Jarrod Bowen, Jude Bellingham, Marcus Rashford, Harry Kane

On the other side, Latvia is set to field a squad consisting mainly of players from lower-tier leagues across Europe. Their predicted lineup (4-3-3) is:

  • Goalkeeper: Andris Zviedris
  • Defenders: Jurkovskis, Balodis, Cernomordijs
  • Midfielders: Savalnieks, Deniss Melniks, Savaljevs, Ciganiks
  • Forwards: Zelenkovs, Ikaunieks, Gutkovskis

Latvia has no new injury issues following their victory over Andorra, providing them a full squad to take on England. However, considering England’s attacking capability demonstrated against Albania, Latvia may struggle to contain the Three Lions.

Match Expectations and Conclusion

As England prepares to take on Latvia, expectations are high for a dominant performance. Analysts predict a lopsided scoreline, with speculations suggesting England could win by as much as 5-0. Fans can catch the action live on various platforms:

  • In the United Kingdom: ITV 1, ITVX, STV, STV Player, UTV
  • In the United States: fuboTV, Foxsports.com, ViX, FOX Sports App, Fox Sports 2
  • In Canada: DAZN Canada

With the stage set for this historic matchup, all eyes will be on Wembley as England looks to solidify their position in the World Cup qualifying standings.