Record-Breaker Kane Fires England Past Croatia Into Nations League Quarter-Finals
Harry Kane marked the night he became England’s most-capped men’s player by scoring the winning goal as England beat Croatia 2-1 at Wembley to reach the UEFA Nations League quarter-finals.
Morgan Rogers put the hosts ahead in the 24th minute before Petar Sučić levelled for Croatia just before the hour. Kane restored England’s lead from the penalty spot in the 64th minute, on his record 126th appearance, to settle a testing night for Thomas Tuchel’s side and confirm their place in the knockout stage.
The goal was Kane’s 92nd for his country, and his 27th from the penalty spot. It came on the night he moved past Peter Shilton’s long-standing record of 125 caps, a landmark the captain celebrated in the most fitting way possible: by deciding the match himself.
Rogers opens the scoring
England started brightly and took the lead midway through the first half. Kane began the move with a diagonal pass towards Jude Bellingham, who supplied the final ball for Rogers to finish from close range, according to VAVEL’s match report.
It was a goal made by England’s two most influential attacking players, and it rewarded a confident opening in which the hosts controlled possession and pressed Croatia high up the pitch. Rogers, the Chelsea midfielder, applied the finish calmly to give England a deserved half-time advantage.
Croatia, beaten 7-0 by England in Rijeka the previous month, offered far more resistance this time. They grew into the game after the break and were rewarded for their patience on the hour mark.
Sučić punishes Quansah error
The equaliser arrived from an England mistake. Jarell Quansah’s headed back-pass to goalkeeper Jordan Pickford fell short, and Sučić punished the error to make it 1-1 in the 59th minute.
It was a cruel moment for Quansah, whose lapse had undone 35 minutes of solid defensive work. For a few minutes, Wembley fell quiet as Croatia sensed an upset and England’s qualification hopes wobbled.
Quansah, though, did not have long to wait for redemption. Within five minutes of the equaliser, he was at the centre of the decisive moment at the other end.
Kane’s record night
The winner came after a VAR review. Referee Morten Krogh was sent to the pitchside monitor after Ivan Smolcic pulled Quansah’s shirt inside the area at an England corner, and the penalty was awarded.
Kane took responsibility, as he has done so often for his country, and, as SABC Sport’s report notes, sent his penalty straight down the middle to restore England’s lead. The stadium rose to celebrate a goal that carried both a result and a record: 126 caps, 92 goals, and a place in the quarter-finals secured.
England thought they had added a third late on through James Garner, only for Bellingham to be ruled offside in the build-up. At the other end, Ante Budimir headed just over from a Croatia corner as the visitors pushed for a late equaliser that never came.
What it means
The victory moved England to 12 points from five matches in Group A3, guaranteeing knockout football in the Nations League, with the quarter-finals to be played next March. Spain also won on Thursday, beating Czechia 2-0, so the group will still be decided on Sunday.
England travel to Madrid on 15 November for a winner-takes-all meeting with the world champions, needing a victory to finish top of the group and claim the more favourable quarter-final draw. Croatia, meanwhile, are out of contention for the quarter-finals after a third defeat to England in 2026.
For Tuchel, the night offered both encouragement and a warning. His side found a way to win on a landmark occasion, and his captain delivered when it mattered most. But the lapse that allowed Croatia back into the game will be a reminder that sterner tests lie ahead, starting in Madrid on Sunday.
In other sporting news this week, Stephen Curry was ruled out for at least two weeks with an oblique tear, while Manchester United agreed a deal with Mauricio Pochettino after sacking Michael Carrick.
