World Cup qualifiers 2026: Latvia-England, likely lineups
Total points after five matches and still with zero goals conceded, England is on course for direct qualification for the 2026 World Cup: the Three Lions national team is aiming to take another three points at Daugavas Stadium in Riga, Latvia’s capital, against the local selection, which earned a disappointing 2-2 draw against Andorra at home the previous day.
Guided by Italy’s former Under-21 coach Paolo Nicolato, Latvia has won only one match in these qualifiers, against Andorra away last March (1-0): on that occasion Dario Sits, currently with Atletico Madrid (where he is involved with the second team), the designated starter in attack along with Gutkovskis, scored the goal.
England coach Tuchel’s England side, fresh from a clear 3-0 home win against Wales (Rogers, Watkins and Saka on goal), is aiming to find the goal of Harry Kane, on target in the last seven games played between Bayern Munich and the England national team and resting against the “Welsh cousins” Welsh side. Behind him on the three-quarter line are Saka, Eze and Rashford, the latter reborn after his move to Barcelona.
Probable lineups
LETTONIA (5-3-2): Zviedris; Savalnieks, Balodis, Cernomordijs, Jurkovskis, Ciganiks; Zelenkovs, Varslavans, Ikaunieks; Gutkovskis, Sits. C.t. Nicolato.
England (4-2-3-1): Pickford; Konsa, Stones, Guéhi, Spence; Anderson, Rice; Saka, Eze, Rashford; Kane. C.t. Tuchel.
