Soccer news: Latvia vs England – Five talking points as Three Lions chase World Cup qualification
England head into Tuesday night’s clash against Latvia with 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification on the line as a win in Riga will see Thomas Tuchel’s men punch their ticket to next year’s footballing showcase in the United States.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Eloise Stevens looks at the key talking points ahead of the match.
How England can qualify in Riga
After Albania’s 1-0 win over Serbia on Saturday, the Three Lions can cement their place at the top of Group K with two matchdays remaining courtesy of a fourth consecutive victory in the Latvian capital.
England are also yet to concede in five qualifying matches and look good value for securing a place at the upcoming tournament, which kicks off in Mexico City on June 11.
Indeed, it has been nearly 20 years since England last failed to qualify for a major tournament when Steve McClaren’s side infamously missed out on a UEFA Euro 2008 berth.
Latvia, meanwhile, are hoping to keep their qualification hopes alive with a win having only managed one success – against Andorra in March – and five points from their six games.
Can visitors qualify without a win?
Beating Latvia is a must if England want to secure qualification for the World Cup on Tuesday.
Anything less would leave them needing a positive result against Serbia in November to guarantee a spot in the competition.
With that said, if Tuchel and company only manage a draw in Riga, a point from the Serbia game would likely be enough as England have a significantly superior goal difference to second-placed Albania.
Injuries could hinder Three Lions’ performance
Tuchel will be sweating on the return of captain Harry Kane, who missed Thursday’s friendly against Wales after sustaining an ankle injury while playing for Bayern Munich.
The question of his availability is even more significant now that replacement Ollie Watkins has been ruled out following a collision with the goalpost at Wembley last week.
Reece James and Jarell Quansah have likewise joined Cole Palmer, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Levi Colwill on the sidelines as Tuchel’s squad continues to take a beating.
Those absences have also ignited debate over the German’s selections, particularly his controversial decision to leave out the in-form Jude Bellingham and Jack Grealish.
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Struggling Latvia have work cut out
If recent performances are anything to go by, England enter this match as clear favourites.
Their last two outings include a dominant display against Wales, where they scored three goals in the opening 20 minutes of what was admittedly a friendly, and a commanding 5-0 victory over Serbia in Group K action a month ago.
Additionally, England cruised to a 3-0 victory over Latvia back in March – Tuchel’s second game in charge as well as the first-ever encounter between these two nations.
Latvia, for their part, were on the brink of a vital qualifying win over the weekend, but a late Andorra equaliser saw them held to a frustrating draw instead.
That result followed a disappointing 1-0 defeat to Albania in September.
Date for World Cup draw set
Should England qualify, either on Tuesday or at a later date, they will find out their World Cup opponents in the group-stage draw on December 5 at the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington DC.
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