On a November evening at a sold-out Wembley, Harry Kane marked a personal milestone that few Englishmen have reached, his 126th cap, and the night ended with the familiar sight of the captain finding the net. The match against Croatia was less a celebration than a reminder that records are made in ordinary afternoons and evenings, through sustained effort rather than spectacle. England won 2-1 in the Nations League, a result that secured a place in the quarter-finals while leaving unanswered questions about the team's rhythm ahead of a tougher test in Spain.
Harry Kane Scores Penalty on Record 126th Cap as England Beat Croatia at Wembley
On a November evening at a sold-out Wembley, Harry Kane marked a personal milestone that few Englishmen have reached, his 126th cap, and the night ended with the familiar sight of the captain finding the net. The match against Croatia was less a celebration than a reminder that records are made in ordinary afternoons and evenings, through sustained effort rather than spectacle. England won 2-1 in the Nations League, a result that secured a place in the quarter-finals while leaving unanswered questions about the team's rhythm ahead of a tougher test in Spain.
Before a ball was kicked at a sold-out Wembley, Harry Kane was given his moment. Making his 126th appearance, a record for an Englishman, he was presented with a commemorative gift by Peter Shilton and the Prince of Wales, a celebration that also recognised his Ballon d'Or. At 33, the Bayern Munich striker was being honoured on two fronts at once.
The match that followed was a quieter affair. Croatia defended with discipline and England struggled to create, with the first half producing little beyond long-range efforts. Morgan Rogers finally broke the deadlock in the 24th minute, after Kane and Jude Bellingham combined to set him free. The second half began with promise, but a poor Jarell Quansah header allowed Petar Sucic to level.
Quansah soon made amends by winning a penalty, and Kane converted it to restore England's lead, his 92nd international goal. The result confirmed a place in the Nations League quarter-finals in March, but the performance fell well short of the 7-0 win in Croatia. The next test comes on Sunday away to Spain, and it will be a far sterner assessment.
Before a ball was kicked at a sold-out Wembley on Thursday, Harry Kane was given his moment. The England captain was making his 126th appearance, a record for an Englishman, and Peter Shilton, whose mark he had equalled the previous month, came onto the pitch to present him with a commemorative gift alongside the Prince of Wales. The occasion also acknowledged Kane's Ballon d'Or triumph. At 33, the Bayern Munich striker was being celebrated on two fronts at once.
The match that followed was a quieter affair. England beat Croatia 2-1 in the Nations League, and Kane delivered the winning goal from the penalty spot, his 92nd for his country. It was also the fifth game in a row in which he had scored. For a long stretch, though, it looked as if he might be denied his customary goal on a night built around him, because Croatia defended with discipline.
The first half was forgettable. Slaven Bilic's side were limited to long-range efforts, and England needed 16 minutes to produce their first shot, from Elliot Anderson. Trent Alexander-Arnold then saw a drive blocked, and Luka Vuskovic stopped Kane from getting on the end of a cutback from Morgan Rogers.
Rogers was not to be denied for long. Kane clipped a diagonal pass to Jude Bellingham, who sent a first-time ball through. It bobbled for the stretching Rogers, who struck it into the ground and past Dominik Livakovic to make it 1-0 in the 24th minute.
England did not build on the lead. The crowd thinned as the half wore on, with the interval refreshments proving more attractive than the football, and the lack of any added time said plenty about the pace of the game. It felt, in the words of the match report, a little like a case of after the Lord Mayor's show, a flat evening following the pre-match ceremony.
The second half began with more promise. Six minutes in, Josip Stanisic got in the way of a low Declan Rice ball that Kane was poised to convert. Bellingham had an attempt saved and Anthony Gordon tried his luck, but England then handed Croatia a way back. Jarell Quansah headed poorly, and Petar Sucic pounced to level the score.
Quansah quickly made amends, though, by winning a penalty. Kane slammed it home to restore England's lead and add another number to his record as the country's all-time top scorer.
The result rubber-stamped what was already effectively settled: Thomas Tuchel's team will play in the Nations League quarter-finals in March. The win also kept alive their hopes of winning Group A3. The next test comes on Sunday away to the group leaders Spain. It will be a sterner assessment than this one, and a long way from England's 7-0 win in Croatia 40 days earlier, a performance this one did not come close to matching.
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