Kane marks record 126th England cap with winning penalty as England edge Croatia 2-1
Harry Kane became England's most-capped player on Thursday and, almost inevitably, scored the winner. His second-half penalty gave England a 2-1 win over Croatia at Wembley and a place in the Nations League quarter-finals with a game to spare.
Kane's night
Before kick-off, Kane received his Ballon d'Or from Prince William, greeted Shilton and was handed a gift by Croatia's Luka Modric, FotMob reported. Wembley unfurled a huge tifo for its captain.
He then helped create the opener. Kane dropped deep and clipped a pass for Jude Bellingham, and Rogers bundled the ball in after Josko Gvardiol failed to clear, Sky Sports said.
From error to winner
Croatia levelled when Quansah's header back toward Jordan Pickford was too casual and Sucic pounced. Quansah made amends almost immediately, pulled down by Ivan Smolcic at an England corner. The penalty was awarded after a VAR review, and Kane sent it down the middle.
The finish was nervy. James Garner had a goal ruled out for offside, Nikola Vlasic clipped wide and Ante Budimir headed over for Croatia.
| Minute | Moment |
|---|---|
| 24' | Rogers bundles in after Gvardiol fails to clear (1-0) |
| 59' | Sucic punishes Quansah's loose header (1-1) |
| Four minutes later | Quansah pulled down by Smolcic; penalty given after VAR |
| From the spot | Kane converts for his 92nd England goal (2-1) |
Sources: Sky Sports; FotMob. England beat the same opponents 7-0 in Rijeka last month.
'Relentless'
Rogers said sharing the pitch with Kane on his record night was a "special honour."
That's why he's the Ballon d'Or winner, his mindset and his work rate is relentless. He doesn't get there by accident.
Thomas Tuchel admitted England were "sloppy" in spells. "It was an okay performance overall," the head coach said, adding that it took about 15 minutes to work out Croatia's back five.
What's next
England play Spain in Madrid on Sunday, 15 November, with first place in the group at stake. Group winners are seeded for the two-legged quarter-finals in March, and the Nations League finals follow in June, Sky Sports said.
England have now won 21 of 27 games under Tuchel, FotMob noted.