England delivered a dominant 7-0 victory against Croatia in a Group 3 UEFA Nations League fixture played on Saturday at Rijeka, keeping level with group leaders Spain on six points. Led by manager Thomas Tuchel, the visitors overwhelmed a struggling Croatian defense in a match played largely behind closed doors.
Rijeka Routing Leaves Croatia Trailing in Group 3
England seized control of their Nations League campaign on Saturday with a commanding 7-0 win over Croatia at Rijeka. Manager Thomas Tuchel praised the display as a performance of the highest level, noting that his squad executed a relentless press from the opening whistle. The result moves the Three Lions to six points in Group 3, matching Spain at the top of the standings ahead of the Spanish fixture against the Czech Republic. Croatia sits third in the group with three points.
Bellingham and Kane Drive the Three Lions Attack
The English attack dismantled the Croatian backline through multi-goal performances and persistent playmaking. Captain Harry Kane opened the scoring in the 8th minute and added a second in the 53rd minute, bringing his total to 21 goals across his past 22 international appearances. Jude Bellingham orchestrated the midfield with a goal in the 21st minute and three assists, setting up Bukayo Saka for two goals in the 45th and 68th minutes and a late strike for substitute Morgan Rogers in the 87th minute. Anthony Gordon also contributed a header in the 39th minute following a cross from Jarell Quansah.
Unusual Atmosphere at a Closed Match in Rijeka
The fixture took place under unusual circumstances after UEFA ordered the match played behind closed doors for disciplinary reasons. The Croatian federation utilized tournament regulations to admit more than 6,000 children alongside roughly one hundred traveling English supporters. Despite the sparse crowd, the visiting fans witnessed an unrelenting offensive display that exposed a severely vulnerable Croatian defense.
Croatia Fails to Capitalize on Early Cadres
Croatia manager Slaven Bilic deployed an experienced lineup featuring Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic, Ivan Perisic, Josko Gvardiol, and Dominik Livakovic. The hosts struggled to counter England’s high press, committing early errors that directly led to goals, including a misplaced clearance from Gvardiol that sparked the opening sequence. Mateo Kovacic missed Croatia’s best scoring opportunity just before halftime during a brief spell of possession, leaving the side unable to recover as England continued to pull away after the break.
