Trent Alexander-Arnold quieted his critics with a stunning free-kick, giving England a 2-0 lead against Finland on Sunday.
Jack Grealish had opened the scoring for the Three Lions before halftime, but Finland remained a threat and could have easily equalized. England needed to secure the win after their disappointing 2-1 loss to Greece earlier in the week, which cast doubt on their promotion chances to League A.
The match was effectively sealed in the 74th minute when Alexander-Arnold struck a classic free-kick over the wall, leaving Bayer Leverkusen’s goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky with no chance.
Pundits praised Alexander-Arnold’s remarkable goal. Former England defender Stuart Pearce remarked on talkSPORT, “That’s a superb free-kick. The goalkeeper didn’t stand a chance!”
Ex-England and Aston Villa midfielder Lee Hendrie told Sky Sports, “Finally, we have a second, and it’s from our left-back! It’s a brilliant free-kick. With Watkins and Madueke on, England stretched Finland. Trent executed it perfectly, beating the keeper with pace. He got a fingertip on it, but it’s a great finish. That’s the only positive from the second half for England.”
Matthew Upson, the former Arsenal and West Ham defender, shared his admiration for the goal while covering the match for BBC Radio 5 Live. “It was a perfect setup, and he delivered beautifully! What a strike from Trent Alexander-Arnold. We know his right foot can do wonders, and this was exceptional. It curved over the wall and had real pace, finding the inside of the near post.”
