England 2-1 Croatia will be remembered as Harry Kane’s night. The Three Lions captain marked his record 126th appearance for his country with the winning goal from the penalty spot, as Thomas Tuchel’s side came through a testing evening at Wembley to book their place in the Nations League quarter-finals.
Morgan Rogers had given England the lead in the 24th minute, finishing from close range after Jude Bellingham supplied the final ball from a move Kane himself had started. Croatia, thrashed 7-0 by England in the reverse fixture, were far more competitive this time, and Petar Sucic levelled in the 59th minute after Jarell Quansah misjudged a headed pass back towards Jordan Pickford. The visitors’ joy lasted just five minutes. Quansah was hauled down inside the area, referee Morten Krogh was sent to the monitor by VAR and pointed to the spot, and Kane drilled home his 92nd England goal to restore the lead.
## England 2-1 Croatia: Rogers Strikes First, Sucic Hits Back
Kane had been presented with the Ballon d’Or before kick-off, and he was involved in the opener inside the first half-hour. The captain floated a pass towards Bellingham on the right of the penalty area, and the Real Madrid man cushioned the ball first time across goal for Rogers to poke home from close range. It was the Chelsea midfielder’s latest statement in an England shirt, and it capped a first half in which the hosts looked in control.
Croatia refused to fold after the break. Quansah, the Bayer Leverkusen defender, had a difficult night — his misjudged header let Sucic in to finish from a loose ball in the box — but the same player turned the game back England’s way within minutes. Smolcic’s tug on his shirt inside the area was spotted by VAR, Krogh reviewed the incident on the monitor, and the penalty was given. Kane, on the night he moved past Peter Shilton to become England’s most-capped player outright, made no mistake.
## Kane’s Record Night: 126th Cap and 92nd Goal
The numbers now belong to Kane alone. His 126th appearance took him clear of Shilton’s long-standing record of 125, and the penalty was his 92nd goal for his country — a tally no England player has ever come close to matching. It was fitting that the record-breaking night was settled by the record-breaker himself, from twelve yards, with the game in the balance.
There was a symmetry to it, too. Quansah’s error had handed Croatia their equaliser; his determination to get on the end of the corner won the penalty that settled it. England held on through four minutes of stoppage time, with Croatia pushing for a late leveller that never came, and the full-time whistle confirmed a 2-1 win that keeps the feel-good factor around Tuchel’s side growing.
## What England 2-1 Croatia Means: Quarter-Finals and Spain Next
The result confirms England’s place in the Nations League quarter-finals, which will be played in March. They remain second in Group A3, three points behind leaders Spain, who beat Czechia 2-0 in Prague on Thursday night through Alex Baena’s penalty and a late Marc Pubill goal to extend their unbeaten competitive run to 44 matches. England travel to Madrid on Sunday for the final group game, a meeting with the world champions that will decide who finishes top.
Elsewhere on Thursday night, Italy came from behind to beat France 3-1 at San Siro, with Francesco Pio Esposito scoring twice and Davide Frattesi also on target after Michael Olise had given the French an early lead. Belgium won 2-1 in Turkiye, while Armenia and Cyprus drew 1-1.
For England, though, the night belonged to one man. Kane’s record 126th cap, his 92nd goal, and a place in the last eight — Wembley got the ending it came for. For more on the weekend’s football, check today’s predictions.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0, Bryan Berlin) — collage by SportsBuddy.
