Interim head coach of the England national football team, Lee Carsley, has expressed disappointment following his team’s 2-1 loss to Greece in the UEFA Nations League match on Thursday. Carsley, who stepped in after Gareth Southgate’s resignation, admitted that England were outplayed and acknowledged the mistakes that led to the defeat.
The match at Wembley Stadium saw Vangelis Pavlidis score twice for Greece, with Jude Bellingham briefly equalizing for England after Pavlidis’ opener. However, a late goal from Pavlidis secured Greece the three points.
Reflecting on the match, Carsley told ITV, “I think we were probably second best for a lot of tonight … it’s disappointing. The goals came from mistakes, and even at 1-1, we were fortunate.”
Carsley also discussed the tactical experiment of overloading the midfield, which he admitted didn’t work as hoped. “We tried something different… we’re disappointed it didn’t come off. In the future, we’ve got to have the courage to try things,” he added.
On the other side, Greek national team manager Ivan Jovanovic credited his team’s victory to the emotional inspiration they drew from the recent passing of former Greek defender George Baldock. Baldock, who made 12 appearances for Greece, tragically died just a day before the match.
“At such moments, football comes second,” Jovanovic said, highlighting Baldock’s lasting impact on the team, which was evident in their spirited performance.