Lee Carsley’s chances of becoming Gareth Southgate’s permanent successor as England boss received a major blow as Greece paid tribute to George Baldock with a historic 2-1 Nations League win.
Carsley opened his interim reign with promising victories against the Republic of Ireland and Finland, but his bold, attack-minded selection came unstuck under the Wembley arch.
The former midfielder played five attackers but no out-and-out striker without injured Harry Kane and the visitors capitalised on a disjointed display, with boos greeting the final whistle after Vangelis Pavlidis scored a stoppage-time winner – his second of the night – shortly after Jude Bellingham looked to have saved their blushes.
Greece’s first win against England came at the 10th attempt and was all the more impressive given the heartbreaking build-up to Thursday’s Group B2 encounter.
The death of Buckingham-born Greece international Baldock at the age of 31 was announced on the eve of the game, with Wembley falling silent to remember the former Sheffield United full-back.
Pavlidis pointed to the black armband everyone wore after finding space to slam home an opener that had been coming against Carsley’s alarmingly incoherent side, whose focus on their attacking threat left them exposed at the back.
Greece had three goals ruled out for offside against an England team that struggled to create clear-cut chances on an evening that ended with Bellingham slamming home a leveller before Pavlidis’ late strike.
