Croatia 0-7 England: Rampant Three Lions see off familiar foe in style

UEFA Nations League,
League A – 3

Rujevica Stadium

Sven Jablonski

Harry Kane 8′
Jude Bellingham 21′
Anthony Gordon 39′
Bukayo Saka 45′
Harry Kane 53′
Bukayo Saka 68′
Morgan Rogers 87′

England inflicted on Croatia their heaviest defeat as Thomas Tuchel’s side thumped their old rivals by seven in Rijeka.

The Three Lions have some history against their hosts, but there was a gulf in class here as Tuchel’s men produced a ruthless performance in their third UEFA Nations League game.

Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka both scored braces, while Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon and Morgan Rogers also assisted on goals.

On an evening when everything seemed to be going well for England, Tuchel’s side got going early, going two goals ahead before adding five more unanswered goals to add extra gloss to an already impressive scoreline.

The result leaves the Three Lions second in the group, tied on points with Spain but having played one more game.

England dominant from the start

The first sight of goal fell England’s way, with Gordon testing Dominik Livakovic in the Croatia goal from a tight angle.

A few minutes later, a wayward pass from Josko Gvardiol saw England finally give the ball to Bellingham, who found Kane in the box.

The England captain took the touch before firing a high shot into the net to give the Three Lions an early lead.

Gordon went ahead soon after, but Livakovic again equalized the Barcelona’s effort, with Tuchel well above.

The dominance continued and the pressure was soon rewarded with a second goal when Gordon did well to clear Saka’s deep cross.

Exuding confidence, Gordon flicked a low cross into the six-yard box, where Bellingham was on hand to head the ball into the far corner.

The one-way traffic continued as Gordon forced another save from Livakovic before the former Newcastle man got his name on the scoresheet, heading in from Jarell Quansah’s cross.

Due to fan disruption in an earlier game against France, the match was being played behind closed doors, save for 100 traveling England fans and a few thousand local young schoolboys.

But it was the Croatian contingent on the pitch that seemed to be forming – a miserable first half summed up by Mateo Kovacic somehow shooting over with the goal at his mercy after rounding Jordan Pickford.

To make matters worse for the home side, at the other end Bellingham crossed from the left and Saka duly converted to make it four before the break.

More of the same after halftime

It was a similar story after the restart, with Kane adding a fifth in the 53rd minute after sliding in to meet Elliot Anderson’s cross.

Bellingham missed the chance for a sixth, but the next goal would end up going England’s way, with Saka tapping home a second after some torrid Croatian defending.

The Three Lions were roaring for real, but Tuchel wasted little time in getting the changes in place so as not to risk the likes of Gordon, Anderson and Kane.

One of those featured, Morgan Rogers, fired high over the crossbar from a promising position, but the Chelsea man didn’t let a second sight of goal pass him.

Played clear, Rogers rounded Livakovic before sliding in at number seven to round off a resounding result for England against their old rivals.

UEFA Nations League table

Upcoming matches for Croatia and England