Harry Kane breaks caps record as England reach Nations League knockouts | Football
England Secures Spot in Nations League Quarterfinals with Victory Over Croatia
LONDON — England defeated Croatia 2-1 at Wembley Stadium on Thursday, solidifying their position in the Nations League quarterfinals scheduled for March. The win places England second in Group A3, trailing only Spain.
Harry Kane marked his 126th cap, a record for an England player, by scoring the decisive penalty. This match followed a previous encounter in which England defeated Croatia 7-0, prompting a more resolute performance from the visitors, managed by Slaven Bilic.
Despite England’s early control, with notable attempts from Elliot Anderson and Croatia’s Josip Misic, the first breakthrough came from England’s Morgan Rogers in the 24th minute. A well-executed play saw Jude Bellingham deliver a pass to Rogers, who capitalized on a defensive error by Croatia’s Josko Gvardiol to score.
The match took a turn shortly before the hour mark when England defender Jarell Quansah misplayed a clearance from a Croatia corner, allowing Petar Sucic to equalize for the visitors. However, England quickly regained the lead when a foul on Quansah in the penalty area resulted in a penalty, which Kane converted, extending his goal tally to 92.
Croatia threatened again with a near miss from Nikola Vlasic, and England’s James Garner had a goal ruled out for offside. Notably, Kane’s achievement set him apart from former England goalkeeper Peter Shilton, with a pre-match ceremony honoring his milestone, attended by Football Association patron Prince William.
Next, England will face Spain on Sunday, seeking redemption after earlier suffering a 3-2 defeat to the world champions. Spain recently defeated Czechia 2-0 in their match, setting the stage for a high-stakes encounter.
