Harry Kane scored twice and set up another as England beat the Czech Republic 3-0 at Wembley in the UEFA Nations League on Tuesday. The captain equalled Peter Shilton’s England appearance record with his 125th cap and has now passed 90 international goals.
London, England: Some milestones arrive quietly. This one arrived with a headline performance. Kane walked out at Wembley to equal Shilton’s mark of 125 England caps and was involved in every goal as Thomas Tuchel’s side swept aside a Czech team that never found a way to threaten.
It came a week after England beat the Czechs 2-0 in Prague, and it extends a strong run for Tuchel’s side, who have scored 14 goals across their matches in this international window.
Kane makes the first, then takes the second
England had to wait until the 27th minute to break through, and it was Kane who engineered it. His cross forced Vladimir Coufal to turn the ball into his own net, a goal that went on the board as an own goal but carried Kane’s fingerprints. England led 1-0.
Thirteen minutes later, the captain found the net himself. Elliot Anderson and Morgan Rogers combined to create the chance, and Kane finished in the 40th minute to double the lead before half-time.
The second half settles it
The Czechs could not pull themselves back into the game. In the 57th minute, Lewis Hall’s delivery found Kane again, and he scored his second of the night to make it 3-0. The match ended without the visitors having registered a shot on target, according to match statistics: England had 17 attempts to the Czech Republic’s five, with three on target to nil.
It was a controlled, clinical night rather than a spectacular one. England held the ball, created chances from several players and let their captain do what he has done for years.
A record shared with Shilton
Kane’s 125th cap puts him level with Shilton for the most England appearances. He passed the 90-goal mark for his country on the night, and he spoke afterwards about what the milestone means. Reaching 125, he said, was beyond his wildest dreams, and he called it an extreme privilege.
Tuchel spoke of a squad that continues to improve and develop while keeping to the standards and culture built during the World Cup campaign. That campaign included Kane’s late brace against DR Congo and a quarter-final win over Norway that sent England into the last four.
The group picture
The result keeps England well placed in League A Group 3. Spain lead the group after a 2-1 comeback win over Croatia on the same night. England have two matches left in November and are close to confirming a quarter-final place.
Score: England 3 (Coufal o.g. 27′, Harry Kane 40′, 57′) Czech Republic 0 — UEFA Nations League, League A Group 3, Wembley Stadium
