England 2-1 Croatia: Kane's Record Night Sends Three Lions Into the Nations League Quarter-Finals
England booked their place in the Nations League quarter-finals with a 2-1 win over Croatia at Wembley on Thursday night, on an evening that belonged to Harry Kane. The captain marked a record-breaking 126th cap — passing Peter Shilton as England's all-time men's appearance leader — with the winning goal from the penalty spot, and his 92nd goal for his country settled a tense Group A3 contest.
The night started perfectly for the hosts. In the 24th minute, Jude Bellingham slipped a pass through to Morgan Rogers, who finished calmly to put England ahead and reward a bright opening spell. Wembley was in full voice, the record was in sight for Kane, and England looked in control of a match they had won 7-0 in the reverse fixture in October.
Photo by Beyza Kaplan on Pexels. This is a stock illustration, not a photo from the match.
Croatia, though, had regrouped since that heavy defeat, and they showed it in the second half. In the 59th minute, a mistake from Jarell Quansah gifted the visitors an opening, and Petar Sučić took full advantage to level the scores. Suddenly the record night was in danger of turning into a frustrating one, and the Wembley crowd could feel the tension.
England's response was swift — and it came from the two players at the heart of the drama. Five minutes after the equaliser, Quansah was fouled inside the penalty area, and after a VAR check the referee pointed to the spot. Kane stepped up, as he has done so many times for his country, and sent the goalkeeper the wrong way to restore the lead in the 64th minute. It was a goal that carried history with it: a record cap, a 92nd international goal, and a place in the quarter-finals secured.
Croatia pushed for another equaliser in the closing stages, with Luka Modrić — still the heartbeat of this side — pulling the strings from midfield. But England held firm, defending their lead with the kind of organisation that has become their trademark in this campaign, and the final whistle confirmed a win that was harder earned than the scoreline in October might have suggested.
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The result sets up a group decider on Sunday, when England travel to Madrid to face Spain. The Spanish top Group A3 on a perfect 15 points after beating Czechia 2-0 on Thursday, while England sit second on 12. Only a win in Madrid will be enough for England to finish top of the group — Spain won the reverse fixture 3-2 at Wembley — but qualification for the quarter-finals is already secure, and that takes much of the pressure off.
For Kane, the evening was about more than the three points. Passing Shilton's appearance record is a landmark that puts him alongside the very greatest names in English football history, and reaching it with a winning goal, on a night when his team needed him, was the perfect way to mark it. At 92 goals, he is already England's record scorer by a wide margin, and he shows no sign of slowing down.
There was also a family storyline on the night, with Jude Bellingham joined in the England squad by younger brother Jobe for the first time — a small piece of history tucked inside a bigger one. And for Rogers, his first-half goal was another sign of a young player growing into international football with every appearance.
Croatia, meanwhile, are left on three points and out of contention for the top two, but their second-half performance in London showed a side that has learned from October's heavy defeat. Under Slaven Bilić in his second spell in charge, they made England work for every inch, and they will want to finish the campaign with pride against Czechia on Sunday.
England's focus now turns to Madrid. A win there would be a statement — ending Spain's perfect record and taking top spot in the group — but even a defeat would not undo what Thursday night achieved. The quarter-finals are secured, the captain has his record, and the team that walked off at Wembley looked like one ready for the knockout rounds.
Source: Sports Mole — England 2-1 Croatia: Kane hits winner on his special night to send England into the final eight — https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/england/uefa-nations-league/result/who-else-kane-hits-winner-on-his-special-night-to-send-england-into-final-eight_609018.html
