Croatia 0-7 England: Kane and Saka score twice as Bellingham inspires record rout in Rijeka

England inflicted the heaviest defeat in Croatia's history on Saturday, winning 7-0 in Rijeka in UEFA Nations League League A, Group 3. Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka scored twice each, and Jude Bellingham scored once and set up three more as Thomas Tuchel's side moved level on points with leaders Spain.

The match at Stadion HNK Rijeka was played under a UEFA sanction that kept Croatia's fans out, and around 6,000 schoolchildren watched from the stands. England had 10 shots on target to Croatia's one.

Match facts

• Result: Croatia 0-7 England (half-time 0-4)
• Competition: UEFA Nations League A, Group 3, Matchday 3
• Venue: Stadion HNK Rijeka, Rijeka
• Scorers: England - Kane 8', 53', Bellingham 21', Gordon 39', Saka 45', 68', Rogers 87'
• Red cards: None
• Next: England v Czechia, Tuesday 6 October; Croatia v Spain, Tuesday 6 October

How the match unfolded

England punished Croatia's first mistake. In the eighth minute Joško Gvardiol gave the ball away cheaply, and Bellingham played Kane through to lift a finish high past Dominik Livaković.

Croatia barely got out of their own half, and England doubled the lead in the 21st minute. Anthony Gordon controlled Saka's cross at the far post and laid it on for Bellingham, who finished from close range. Gordon got the third in the 39th minute, heading in Jarell Quansah's cross at the far post for his fourth goal in four games. On the stroke of half-time Bellingham crossed from the left and Saka, unmarked about five metres out, made it 4-0.

Slaven Bilić made three changes at the break, bringing on Igor Matanović, Nikola Vlašić and Mario Pašalić for Petar Musa, Martin Baturina and Petar Sučić. It made no difference. In the 53rd minute Kane slid in at the far post to turn in Elliot Anderson's cross. Captain Luka Modrić was replaced by Kristijan Jakić just before the hour.

Croatia's defending fell apart again in the 68th minute. Josip Stanišić's pass across his own area was picked off, and Saka finished Kane's pass for 6-0. Mateo Kovačić was booked soon afterwards. Tuchel then took off Kane, Gordon and Alex Scott, who was making his first England start, and sent on Morgan Rogers, Eberechi Eze and James Garner. Rogers completed the rout in the 87th minute: he ran onto Bellingham's long pass and rounded Livaković. That beat Croatia's previous record defeat, a 6-0 loss to Spain in the 2018 Nations League.

What it means

England had lost 3-2 to Spain at Wembley in their opening game before winning 2-0 in Czechia. They now have six points and a goal difference of plus eight. Spain also have six points but have played a game fewer, and they host Czechia later tonight. If teams finish level on points, the Nations League separates them on head-to-head results before goal difference, and Spain beat England.

Tuchel had expected a much tougher evening. Before the game he told the FA's website: "We expect a very difficult game tomorrow against a big football nation and a proud country with a team full of quality in the Croatian side."

Croatia stay third on three points. They beat Czechia 2-1 in their opening match but have now lost two in a row, and their goal difference has dropped to minus nine.

What happens next

England host Czechia at Wembley on Tuesday 6 October (19:45 UK). Kane is one cap short of Peter Shilton's all-time England appearance record. Croatia face Spain at Stadion Poljud in Split on the same evening. The top two in each group reach the quarter-finals.