Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka scored twice each as England overwhelmed Luka Modric’s Croatia 7-0 in Rijeka on Saturday, although Spain preserved their three-point lead at the top of Nations League Group Three with a 3-1 win over the Czech Republic.
Jude Bellingham scored once and created three goals, while Anthony Gordon and substitute Morgan Rogers were also on target in a dominant England display captain Kane described as “unbelievable”.
England sit second in League A, Group Three with six points from three matches. Spain have nine, Croatia have three and the Czech Republic remain without a point.
“Unbelievable from start to finish,” Kane told ITV. “We spoke a lot about having a 90-minute game from start to finish, being completely dominant with the ball and without the ball. That was it right there.”
Kane’s two goals took his England total to 89 in 124 appearances, leaving him one cap short of Peter Shilton’s national record. Asked whether he could match Shilton’s 125 caps against the Czech Republic on Tuesday, Kane said: “Would be nice. That is why he [manager Thomas Tuchel] takes me off, to save me for the next one.”
England needed only seven minutes to take control. Josko Gvardiol surrendered possession and Bellingham sent Kane through, with the captain slipping between two defenders before finishing.
Bellingham made it 2-0 in the 21st minute after Gordon turned Saka’s cross back towards goal. Gordon then added a third in the 39th minute, meeting Jarell Quansah’s delivery with a first-time finish.
Croatia missed a chance through Mateo Kovacic before Bellingham supplied an unmarked Saka for England’s fourth a minute before half-time. Elliot Anderson set up Kane’s second with a low cross in the 53rd minute, and Saka scored again in the 68th after Josip Stanisic’s wayward pass across his own penalty area.
Bellingham completed his outstanding contribution by releasing Rogers, who scored England’s seventh three minutes from time.
“They couldn’t live with our pace, with our runs,” Kane said.
Spain maintained their perfect start in Oviedo despite Luis de la Fuente making nine changes from the team that defeated Croatia 4-1 on Tuesday. Lamine Yamal opened the scoring in the sixth minute with a superb left-footed strike into the top corner from the edge of the area.
Rodri doubled the advantage by scoring from a rebound, his first international goal in more than two years. Jiri Slama reduced the deficit in the 69th minute, but the Czech Republic’s hopes faded when Ladislav Krejci was shown a second yellow card in the 85th minute for stopping a counter-attack by holding an opponent.
Mikel Merino sealed Spain’s victory with a first-time finish from inside the area after another rapid break.
In League B, Kieron Bowie and John McGinn scored as Scotland won 2-0 in North Macedonia, despite Scott McKenna’s 83rd-minute dismissal.
Switzerland came from behind to beat Slovenia 2-1 in Luzern. An Erik Janza own goal and Dan Ndoye’s strike overturned Zan Vipotnik’s opener, leaving Switzerland top of Group One on nine points, with Scotland and Slovenia on four each.
