Harry Kane marked his 125th England cap, which took him level with Peter Shilton's appearance record, by having a hand in all three goals as England beat Czechia 3-0 at Wembley on Tuesday night. The captain set up Vladimír Coufal's own goal and then scored twice, either side of half-time.
Thomas Tuchel recalled Trent Alexander-Arnold, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze for the fourth game of the international window. England finish it second in UEFA Nations League A, Group 3, behind Spain.
Match facts
- Result: England 3-0 Czechia (half-time 2-0)
- Competition: UEFA Nations League A, Group 3, Matchday 4
- Venue: Wembley Stadium, London
- Scorers: England - Coufal 27' (og), Kane 40', 57'
- Red cards: None
- Next: England v Croatia, Thursday 12 November; Czechia v Spain, Thursday 12 November
How the match unfolded
England threatened from the fifth minute, when Alexander-Arnold curled a free-kick over the Czech wall and Lukáš Horníček tipped it away.
The opener came in the 27th minute. Kane drifted out to the right and whipped a low cross into the area, and Coufal, under no pressure, slammed it into his own net as he tried to clear. Elliot Anderson should have made it 2-0 soon afterwards but blazed a good chance over the bar.
Anderson made amends five minutes before half-time. His lofted pass over the Czech defence found Rogers on the right, Rogers crossed first time, and Kane finished from close range for his 90th England goal.
Kane almost added another in the 54th minute. Lewis-Skelly, booked a minute earlier, broke away from three Czech players, and the captain's shot from the edge of the area hit the crossbar. Horníček then blocked Jude Bellingham's flick from a Rogers cross, and from the resulting corner in the 57th minute Kane rose to head Lewis Hall's delivery past the goalkeeper for his 91st international goal.
Tuchel then rotated, sending on James Garner and Jarrad Branthwaite in the 63rd minute and Rio Ngumoha and Morgan Gibbs-White 10 minutes later. Czechia rarely threatened Jordan Pickford. Kane went off in the 82nd minute to a standing ovation and was replaced by Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
What it means
England have nine points from four games, three behind Spain, who came from behind to win 2-1 against Croatia in Split on the same night. Croatia are third on three points and Czechia, who have lost all four games, are bottom without a point.
England's international break ended with three wins after a 3-2 home defeat by Spain: 2-0 in Prague, 7-0 in Rijeka and now 3-0 at Wembley, with 14 goals scored across the four games. Sky Sports notes that one point from the last two games will secure a quarter-final place, and England already hold the head-to-head advantage over Croatia.
Shilton's 125-cap record, which Kane was set to equal once named in the side, had stood for 36 years.
What happens next
England host Croatia at Wembley on Thursday 12 November (19:45 UK), when Kane could become England's most-capped player outright. Czechia host Spain in Prague the same night. The group finishes on Sunday 15 November, with Spain v England in Madrid and Croatia v Czechia in Osijek. The top two in the group reach the quarter-finals.