UEFA Nations League: Harry Kane scores brace in England’s big win in Croatia

Harry Kane scored on either side of half-time as Thomas Tuchel’s England recorded a 7-0 win over Croatia in Rijeka. The FC Bayern striker opened the floodgates in the eighth minute after former Borussia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham put him through in goal.

The Real Madrid man doubled their advantage before Bayer Leverkusen’s highly-coveted defender Jarell Quansah recorded his first England assist for Anthony Gordon’s strike five minutes before the break.

Kane scored England’s fifth goal with a simple tap-in from Elliott Anderson’s cutback, while Bukayo Saka also found the target in both halves. Once again, Tuchel substituted off his captain with twenty minutes left on the clock.

The 33-year-old striker will hope to start his fourth game in the space of ten days when England entertain Czech Republic at Wembley on Tuesday. The Ballon d’Or nominee has already reached 10 goals for club and country since the start of the campaign. 

Kane's replacement Morgan Rogers, who marked the highest transfer fee ever paid for an English footballer when he joined Xabi Alonso's Chelsea in the summer, scored the seventh and last goal three minutes before the end of regular time.

Kane’s FC Bayern teammate Josip Stanišić and Freiburg’s striker Igor Matanović featured for the hosts as they suffered their heaviest defeat, which was previously held in the same competition in the 6-0 defeat to Spain in 2018.

The World Cup holders will host Czechia in Oviedo as kickoff is in less than an hour. Hoffenheim’s striker Adam Hložek is in the starting lineup for the visitors. Spain have won both of their opening games, while Czechia are searching for their first point(s).