England 7-0 Croatia in Rijeka; Spain beat Czech Republic 3-1
England beat Croatia 7-0 in Rijeka on Saturday in a UEFA Nations League match, while Spain remained perfect in their group with a 3-1 victory over the Czech Republic in Oviedo. Jude Bellingham scored once and provided three assists for England as Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka each netted twice.
England sit second in League A Group Three with six points from three matches, behind Spain on nine; Croatia have three points and the Czech Republic remain pointless. Anthony Gordon and substitute Morgan Rogers also scored in England’s win. "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."
The opening goal came shortly after the seventh minute when Josko Gvardiol lost possession and Bellingham released Kane, who slipped between two defenders and finished. Bellingham doubled the lead in the 21st minute after Gordon turned Bukayo Saka’s cross back across goal, and Gordon made it 3-0 in the 39th by meeting Jarell Quansah’s cross with a first-time finish.
Mateo Kovacic missed a close-range chance before Bellingham’s cross set up an unmarked Saka to score a minute before half-time. In the second half Kane added his second from a low Elliot Anderson cross in the 53rd minute, Josip Stanisic’s misplaced pass in the 68th gifted Saka his second, and Bellingham released Rogers to complete the rout three minutes from time.
Spain made nine changes to the side that beat Croatia 4-1 on Tuesday but still opened the scoring in Oviedo in the sixth minute through Lamine Yamal’s curling left-footed shot into the top corner. Rodri converted a rebound inside the area for his first international goal in more than two years, Jiri Slama pulled one back for the Czechs in the 69th minute, Ladislav Krejci received a second booking in the 85th minute for holding back an opponent to stop a counter-attack, and Mikel Merino finished from inside the box after a quick break to seal the win.
In League B action, Scotland beat North Macedonia 2-0 with goals from Kieron Bowie and John McGinn before Scott McKenna was sent off in the 83rd minute. Switzerland recovered from an early deficit to beat Slovenia 2-1 in Luzern, Erik Janza scoring an own goal and Dan Ndoye finding the winner after Zan Vipotnik had opened the scoring; Switzerland lead the group on nine points with Scotland and Slovenia level on four.
Kane’s second goal took his international tally to 89 goals in 124 appearances, moving him within one cap of Peter Shilton’s England record. Asked about potentially drawing level with Shilton 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!"
