The three lions of England produced a stunning performance as they thrashed Croatia 7-0 in the UEFA Nations League at their own home-ground to claim an important three points.
Thomas Tuchel’s side controlled the game from the start and had already scored four goals before half-time whistle came to rescue the home team.
Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka both scored twice, while Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon and Morgan Rogers also got on the scoresheet.
England took the lead after just eight minutes of action on the pitch 1-0. Jude Bellingham found Harry Kane with a clever through ball, and the captain finished high into the net beyond Dominik Livakovic.
Croatia struggled to deal with their opponent’s quick passing and movement in the opening stages. The second goal arrived in the 21st minute of the encounter between both teams.
Bukayo Saka moved forward on the right before his cross reached Antbony Gordon. The Barcelona forward controlled the ball and played it back into the area, allowing Bellingham to finish from close range to make it 2-0.
Bellingham was at the heart of The Three Lions attacking play throughout the match and finished with a goal and three assists. Croatia had a few opportunities but failed to make them count.
Gordon had an early effort saved by Livakovic, while Saka also missed a good chance when his header from a Gordon’s cross went over the bar as played carried on.
The biggest missed chance came in the 41st minute. Mateo Kovacic broke through the away defence, went around Jordan Pickford and appeared to have an open goal in front of him.
However, the midfielder fired wide from close range instead of finishing off to cutoff the lead. It was a costly miss because their opposition added another goal before the break.
Thomas Tuchel’s side made it 3-0 in the 39th minute when Jarell Quansah sent a dangerous cross from the right. Gordon attacked the ball and headed it past Livakovic.
Then, just before half-time, Jude Bellingham played Bukayo Saka through and the Arsenal winger calmly finished to give his country a 4-0 lead at the interval.
The home side made three changes at half-time, but the visitors remained in control. Harry Kane scored his second goal in the 53rd minute after combining with Elliot Anderson.
Anderson delivered the ball into the box and Kane slid in at the back post to make it 5-0. Saka then scored his second of the night in the 68th minute of the encounter to make it 6-0.
The Croatian national team were caught trying to play out from the back, and Saka received the ball inside the box before combining with Kane and firing into the net for his brace.
Chelsea’s Morgan Rogers completed the scoring in the 87th minute. The substitute was found with a ball over the top, raced behind the defence, rounded the goalkeeper and finished into an empty net to make it 7-0.
Croatia managed only one shot on target during the match, with Ivan Perisic testing Pickford late in the game. The England goalkeeper saved comfortably to protect his clean sheet.
The only yellow card of the match went to Croatia midfielder Mateo Kovacic in the 73rd minute for dissent. The match came to a conclusion with Croatia 0-7 England after 90 minutes.
Kane and Saka scored twice each, while Bellingham, Gordon and Rogers added one goal apiece. The Englishmen seven-goal victory also gave them a major boost in their UEFA Nations League Group A3 campaign.
Thomas Tuchel will be a pleased man after watching his side delivered an outstanding performance that would also go in their record books with seven goals and not conceding any in return against a strong opposition.
