Bukayo Saka and Harry Kane both bagged doubles as England ran riot in a 7-0 defeat of dismal Croatia in the Nations League yesterday.
Rijeka: Thomas Tuchel’s team shredded Croatia at Rijeka to make it two wins from their first three games in their Nations League group, says AFP.
Kane’s double took the England captain’s record goals tally for his country to 89.
But the Bayern Munich attacker was not the only exceptional performer for the England.
Arsenal winger Saka also scored twice as England secured their best win under Tuchel.
Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham, in the starting line-up after Tuesday’s 2-0 triumph against the Czech Republic, was on target to round up a dynamic display which also featured three assists.
The effervescent Anthony Gordon went on the scoresheet to make it four goals in his past four England matches before Morgan Rogers finished the annihilation.
England saw off the international break on Tuesday with a win against the Czech Republic at Wembley as they look for a top-two finish to seal a place in the Nations League quarter-finals in March.
That should be a slightly more rowdy event than this tie which was played ‘behind closed doors’ following crowd disturbance involving Croatia fans versus France in 2025.
Around 6,000 local kids and 100 England fans were admitted to Stadion HNK Rijeka, producing a muted mood in a nation famed for hostility.
Earlier in the week England’s players had enjoyed a swim in the adjacent Adriatic Sea, prompting Tuchel to caution that the casual environment in the camp must not send his team into “holiday mode”.
But with the sun glinting off the Adriatic only yards from the stadium it was child’s play for England as they tore through an old Croatia to the dismay of the youthful crowd.
It took only eight minutes for Tuchel’s men to gain the lead with an incisive attack that showed the talent disparity between the sides.
Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott, making his first start for England, provided the catalyst, playing a calm pass into Bellingham.
A similar calculated ball behind the flat-footed Croatia defence from Bellingham saw Kane take a nice touch and stroke a perfect finish into the roof of the net from 10 yards.
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