England produced another fine performance to cap a strong international break as they followed a 7-0 rout of Croatia with a 3-0 win over the Czech Republic at Wembley.
As so often for England the night was all about Harry Kane, who equalled Peter Shilton’s record number of appearances for the Three Lions with his 125th cap and moved up to 91 international goals.
The England captain registered an assist as Vladimir Coufal poked his cross into his own net before bagging a brace either side of half-time, the first finishing off a superb team move after Elliot Anderson threaded a brilliant ball to Morgan Rogers.
Kane’s second was a header from a Lewis Hall corner, before England sat back to see out another comfortable win after a 3-0 victory in the reverse fixture.
The result sees them needing just one point from the November international window to book their place in the Nations League quarter-finals in March.
Follow all of the latest from the Nations League clash with our live blog below:
England v Czech Republic LIVE
- England cruise to routine win over Czech Republic in final Nations League game of this window
- '57 GOAL! Kane scores brace on record-equalling night [ENG 3-0 CZE]
- '40' GOAL! Kane finishes off superb England move [ENG 2-0 CZE]
- '27 GOAL! Coufal scores own goal from Kane cross [ENG 1-0 CZE]
- Harry Kane equals Peter Shilton's record as most-capped England player
Harry Kane scores best goal of the Tuchel era to show what England were missing at the World Cup
22:09 , Lawrence Ostlere at WembleyAnother Nations League night, another comprehensive England win. This 3-0 victory over Czech Republic made it 12 goals without reply in England’s last three games, after that knife-edge defeat by Spain here at Wembley back at the start of the international break. And while this wasn’t as comprehensive as the 7-0 thrashing over Croatia, it featured perhaps the best goal of the Thomas Tuchel era, scored by Kane after a glorious move involving Elliot Anderson and Morgan Rogers, the sort of goal kids will try to recreate on playgrounds up and down the country all week.
Harry Kane scores best goal of the Tuchel era to show what England have missed
Jude Bellingham hails Harry Kane as ‘best England player to have worn the shirt’
23:30 , Flo CliffordJude Bellingham has described England captain Harry Kane as “the best player to have worn the shirt” after he produced another sterling performance on a historic night.
Kane equalled Peter Shilton’s record for the most appearances for the Three Lions when he was named in the starting line-up for the Nations League game against the Czech Republic on Tuesday night.
As he so often is Kane was the lynchpin of the England team at Wembley, scoring a brace and registering an assist, the latter as Vladimir Coufal poked his cross into his own net, on his 125th cap.
Afterwards his teammate Bellingham and manager were quick to lavish praise on the striker.
Jude Bellingham hails Harry Kane as ‘best England player to have worn the shirt’
Roy Keane on Harry Kane:
23:16 , Flo Clifford"The guy is a machine. His desire to score goals is fantastic. He's got the hunger, the desire.
"He's getting the rewards and he deserves everything that comes his way."
Jude Bellingham tells ITV:
23:05 , Flo Clifford"I can only talk from my perspective and first and foremost is an unbelievable human being. As a captain, as a man, he looks after every single person. He's the one to take responsibility off the pitch. And on the pitch he's the best England player to have worn the shirt. It's an honour to play with him.
"He's playing at a level that is unmatched. He's scoring goals for fun, he's dropping deep and playing passes in behind and contributing, making tackles and everything. He's only getting better."
Thomas Tuchel on Harry Kane:
22:55 , Flo Clifford"It's what he does. I don’t take it for granted.
"He is just exceptional every single match.
"It’s difficult to find words for him."
Harry Kane hails 'perfect night'
22:45 , Flo CliffordIan Wright tells ITV:
22:35 , Flo Clifford"[Harry Kane] is the best goalscorer of our generation.
"He's the best England goalscorer ever."
England 3-0 Czech Republic stats
22:25 , Flo CliffordIt was pretty dominant in the end: England had 17 shots, three on target, compared to five and nil respectively for the visitors, as well as 39 touches in the opposition box compared to just seven.
Harry Kane on competition for the England squad:
22:17 , Flo Clifford“It's all about taking the opportunities. Whenever you get minutes you do the best with that time and you are seeing that from everyone in the squad. Everyone wants to be a part of it. That's only going to make us better."
Harry Kane tells ITV:
22:10 , Flo Clifford"You saw some fantastic football. The way we are moving and playing one-touch football. The first-time cross from Morgan [Rogers] was as good as it gets. As a striker you are just licking your lips.
"It started in the first game [vs Spain] although we didn't get the result we wanted there was some good bits in there. We have built there. It's never easy after a major tournament especially with four games. We had to find it and found it quickly."
Full Nations League results today
22:04 , Flo CliffordA3
Croatia 1-2 Spain
England 3-0 Czechia
B1
Scotland 1-2 Slovenia
Switzerland 3-0 North Macedonia
C1
Albania 2-1 San Marino
Belarus 1-0 Finland
C3
Moldova 0-4 Slovakia
Kazakhstan 2-2 Faroe Islands
C4
Estonia 0-0 Iceland
Luxembourg 0-2 Bulgaria
How things stand
21:57 , Flo CliffordAs things stand Spain are the first to qualify for the Nations League quarter-finals, while England now only need to avoid being beaten 8-0 by Croatia (which feels somewhat unlikely at this point) in order to join them.
1. Spain P4 GD+7 Pts 12
2. England P4 GD+11 Pts 9
3. Croatia P4 GD-10 Pts 3
4. Czechia P4 GD-8 Pts 0
Harry Kane speaks to ITV:
21:50 , Flo Clifford"It was a perfect night for me and the team. It's been a tough and long camp, some difficult games so it was nice to finish it off at Wembley. An extremely proud evening."
A 19th international assist and 90th and 91st goal tonight. Not bad.
Scotland lose at home
21:45 , Flo CliffordElsewhere, Scotland were booed off at Hampden Park after slumping to a 2-1 defeat against Slovenia after leading 1-0.
How things stand
21:41 , Flo CliffordEngland remain second in Group A3 with nine points from four games, while elsewhere, Spain came from a goal down to beat 10-man Croatia to remain top of the standings, with four wins from four.
FULL-TIME: England 3-0 Czech Republic
21:36 , Flo CliffordThat’s a fifth loss for the Czech Republic in a row, the first time that has happened since their independence.
FULL-TIME: England 3-0 Czech Republic
21:35 , Flo Clifford‘90+2: Hlozek takes a punt and fires wide! Worth a shot.
And that’s basically it! England see out a routine 3-0 victory after another Harry Kane masterclass.
England 3-0 Czech Republic
21:34 , Flo Clifford‘90+1: Alexander-Arnold does well to knee the ball out as the visitors threaten briefly... the resulting Czech corner is hoofed away.
England 3-0 Czech Republic
21:33 , Flo Clifford‘90: Two minutes for England to see this out.
England 3-0 Czech Republic
21:30 , Flo Clifford‘87: Eze picks up the ball but has another shot blocked.
Not a lot of energy in this one now, just running the clock down.
England 3-0 Czech Republic
21:26 , Flo Clifford‘83: Eze has been much more lively in this half and he ducks and dives through a sea of red shirts before he goes tumbling over one in the box, with Hornicek closing him down. The referee waves away any suggestion of a penalty.
England 3-0 Czech Republic
21:24 , Flo Clifford‘82: No hat-trick tonight for Kane but a superb performance: a brace, an assist, and a record-equalling appearance. Calvert-Lewin is on in his place.
England 3-0 Czech Republic
21:21 , Flo Clifford‘78: This has become a bit turgid since those substitutions. Having said that, the ball now falls to Macek, running onto the edge of the box, but he curls an effort wide!
England 3-0 Czech Republic
21:20 , Lawrence Ostlere at WembleyFor all the brilliance of England tonight (where was this three months ago, lads?), one player who has looked a little nervy is Jordan Pickford. He has made a few errors on the ball and Tuchel threw his arms up in frustration at the most recent example. This might be a good night for James Trafford's England hopes.
England 3-0 Czech Republic
21:15 , Flo Clifford‘73: Boos ring out as Bellingham is replaced. He and Hall are off; Tuchel gives youngster Ngumoha a big hug as he sends him on, with Gibbs-White the other replacement.
England 3-0 Czech Republic
21:14 , Flo Clifford‘71: Eze dribbles in on the left and has a go from 20 yards! A decent chance but blocked.
England 3-0 Czech Republic
21:11 , Flo Clifford‘68: A group of Czech fans are having fun ignoring the action on the pitch and waving their shirts around.
More Czech changes: Zmrzly, the only Czech player without a vowel in his name (fun fact from ITV comms) and Macek are on for Slama and Sadilek.
England 3-0 Czech Republic
21:09 , Flo Clifford‘66: England have a set-piece. Quansah curls it in from the edge of the box and it’s headed away; Coufal’s night has just got worse as he’s taken a whack to the face in the process, but he seems to be okay.
England 3-0 Czech Republic
21:06 , Flo Clifford‘64: England changes now: Guehi, who has had a quiet night, and Anderson are off, replaced by Garner and Branthwaite.
England 3-0 Czech Republic
21:04 , Flo Clifford‘62: Alexander-Arnold swoops in and aims an effort from 20 yards out... over the crossbar, not his best.
England 3-0 Czech Republic
21:03 , Flo Clifford‘60: Six goals in four matches for Kane, his 90th and 91st tonight.
The visitors respond with a substitution, Hlozek on for Ambros.
GOAL! England 3-0 Czech Republic
21:00 , Flo Clifford‘57: It’s that man again! Hall’s delivery finds Kane at the far post, and he rises highest to nod it home! Hornicek gets a hand to it but can’t keep it out.
SAVE! England 2-0 Czech Republic
20:59 , Flo Clifford‘57: Rogers dinks a sweet ball across the face of goal and Bellingham, running towards it, attempts a cheeky backheel into the net - but Hornicek puts it behind for a corner! A good save.
England 2-0 Czech Republic
20:57 , Flo Clifford‘55: Sadilek is next into the book and will miss the Czech Republic’s next match, while Lewis-Skelly will miss their Croatia rematch at Wembley, which Tuchel looks decidedly unimpressed about.
OFF THE BAR! England 2-0 Czech Republic
20:56 , Flo Clifford‘53: Lewis-Skelly goes into the book for a silly foul. But now he sits down three successive players and tees up Kane, who blasts a lovely effort which just clips the crossbar and flies over!
England 2-0 Czech Republic
20:53 , Flo Clifford‘51: Kane in fact is penalised for grappling so no corner is awarded, perhaps unfairly.
A bit of a slower start to this half, both sides feeling their way back into this.
England 2-0 Czech Republic
20:50 , Flo Clifford‘48: Pickford dawdles again, his mind still in the dressing room, and Sadilek closes... danger averted.
Alexander-Arnold crosses in low but Hornicek whacks it smartly behind with an outstretched foot for a corner.
SECOND HALF: England 2-0 Czech Republic
20:47 , Flo Clifford‘45: Away we go with this second half. One change for the Czechs: Radosta is on for Lingr.
HALF-TIME: England 2-0 Czech Republic
20:33 , Flo Clifford‘45+1: The Czech Republic should have a corner now but there won’t be time to take it. England deservedly lead at the break, courtesy of a very unfortunate own goal by Coufal and a peach of a team goal scored by Kane.
England 2-0 Czech Republic
20:31 , Flo Clifford‘45: Alexander-Arnold’s delivery is thumpered away by Hranac.
Anderson recycles it, however, and the visitors clear but not far enough... now Bellingham is closed down.
One minute added on to this half.
England 2-0 Czech Republic
20:30 , Flo Clifford‘44: Corner to England. Hall takes this one, it’s a very deep delivery towards Kane at the far post, but Slama nudges it behind for another England corner.
England 2-0 Czech Republic
20:28 , The Independent at WembleyWill CastleA thing of beauty from England, in complete comparison to their first. Stunning one touch passes from Anderson and Rogers to put it on a plate for Kane, who gets his goal on his record-equalling night.
Lawrence OstlereWow. The first-time ball by Anderson, the half-volley cross by Rogers, the inevitable finish by Kane. All brilliant. It's not an exaggeration to say that might be England's best goal of the Tuchel era.
GOAL! England 2-0 Czech Republic
20:26 , Flo Clifford‘40: Harry Kane!
Anderson lofts a beautiful ball on the spin to Rogers down the right, who tees up Kane - charging mere yards from goal - beautifully. His 90th goal on his 125th cap and a lovely routine there.
England 1-0 Czech Republic
20:21 , Flo Clifford‘36: Kane wants a goal on his record-equalling cap but it’s well blocked by Vitik!
England 1-0 Czech Republic
20:19 , Lawrence Ostlere at WembleyA bizarre decision there by Coufal to kick the ball under no pressure – presumably he thought Eze was close by – and what a finish, leaving his goalkeeper no chance. England’s captain with the assist for Czech Republic’s captain to score.
OVER THE BAR! England 1-0 Czech Republic
20:16 , Flo Clifford‘30: Rogers and Alexander-Arnold play a sweet one-two down the right and Rogers knocks it down to Anderson right by the near post, but the City man’s touch is high and wide! A great chance to double the lead, wasted.
England 1-0 Czech Republic
20:15 , Will Castle at WembleyAbsolutely comical own goal from Coufal. Could see that coming from a mile off as Kane's cross dribbled into the box with Eze nowhere near getting on the end of it, but still the former West Ham man scrambled to get something onto it. He hooks into his own net. Complete gift for England.
GOAL! England 1-0 Czech Republic
20:13 , Flo Clifford‘27: Oh dear, this is terrible from the Czech Republic. England charge forward, Kane curling in a cross from the right, and Coufal, surging forward, toe-pokes it into his own net! He’s trying to get it over the bar but it’s absolutely dire.
Kane gets the assist on his 125th cap!
England 0-0 Czech Republic
20:12 , Flo Clifford‘26: Trent lifts in a cross towards Bellingham in the centre, who heads it out towards Hall... England are building towards something here but just missing the killer blow.
Rogers again darts down the right but the final ball in is poor.
England 0-0 Czech Republic
20:10 , Flo Clifford‘24: The latest England attack is repelled as Kane is forced back and Rogers blocked as the ball comes back out of the area. Now Rogers makes a lovely disguised run down the right, lofts the ball up towards the onrushing Kane, but it’s just too far forward! Half-decent chance there.
England 0-0 Czech Republic
20:08 , Will Castle at WembleyTwenty minutes into England's fourth outing of a drawn-out international break and this has been a tepid affair so far. Just a Trent Alexander-Arnold free-kick and an Elliot Anderson tackle has worked Czech stopper Lukas Hornicek.
England 0-0 Czech Republic
20:04 , Flo Clifford‘18: Tuchel is scribbling something in his notebook. Penny for his thoughts?
Guehi puts the ball out of play and that leads to the first Czech corner of the game. It’s taken short to Sadilek and the visitors can’t do anything with it... they recycle it, but Kane clears the lines.
England 0-0 Czech Republic
20:01 , Lawrence Ostlere at WembleyMorgan Rogers is moving a little gingerly since that clash with the goalkeeper, but he looks intent to run it off. Hopefully he hasn't done any damage there.
England 0-0 Czech Republic
20:00 , Flo Clifford‘14: Rogers is also fine after that clash but now blasts wildly over the bar after cutting in on the right. England with all the possession at the moment.
England 0-0 Czech Republic
19:59 , Flo Clifford‘12: Rogers races smartly onto a free-kick delivery from Kane and Hornicek reacts quickly to close him down with his defence caught napping, the pair colliding as the keeper rushes out to collect. Hornicek is down for a while but he’s back up now, and nothing doing about that challenge.
England 0-0 Czech Republic
19:55 , Flo Clifford‘10: Alexander-Arnold crosses in but it’s too high for Kane. Now the visitors break and Sulc is left with a lot of room in the centre... but the move is snuffed out.
Back down the other end now as Bellingham chops and charges to keep the ball alive... the Czech Republic have shirts back in numbers, however.
England 0-0 Czech Republic
19:54 , Flo Clifford‘7: Alexander-Arnold does now misplace a pass and Kral capitalises, charging forward, but hoofing into the side-netting. Pickford gestures for everyone to calm down.
CLOSE! England 0-0 Czech Republic
19:51 , Flo Clifford‘5: Alexander-Arnold nearly makes a huge statement on his return! The Czechs have started with a fair few fouls and the Real Madrid man stands over the free-kick after the latest. A lovely curling attempt looks to be heading for the top corner, or maybe a fraction wide, but Hornicek leaps and palms it away!
England 0-0 Czech Republic
19:49 , Flo Clifford‘2: The visitors get things underway and Naderi immediately closes down Pickford, who dawdles a bit. The Czechs are pointless in this group but have been present in all three games, and have started with some intent here.
KICK-OFF: England vs Czech Republic
19:46 , Flo CliffordAway we go at Wembley!
Team news reminder
19:34 , Flo CliffordEngland XI: Pickford, Alexander-Arnold, Quansah, Guehi, Hall, Anderson, Lewis-Skelly, Rogers, Bellingham, Eze, Kane.
Czech Republic XI: Hornicek, Coufal, Hranac, Vitik, Slama, Kral, Sulc, Sadilek, Amros, Naderi, Lingr.
What do England need?
19:27 , Flo CliffordEngland need four points from their remaining matches to book their place in the Nations League quarter-finals next March.
A win here would mean they would only need a draw against either Croatia or Spain in the November window to seal their berth, as the top two teams in each group progress to the final eight.
How things stand in Group A3
19:20 , Flo CliffordWith one game left of this international window, here’s how things stand in Group A3.
Spain are top on nine points with three wins from three.
England are second on six points after two wins and a loss (to World Cup winners Spain).
Croatia sit third on three points and the Czech Republic are bottom of this Nations League group with nul points.
Another chance for Alexander-Arnold to impress
19:07 , Lawrence OstlereHere’s Lawrence Ostlere from Wembley:
Good evening from Wembley, where I’ve just passed a throng of Czech fans on an organised march to the stadium from the high street. Fans are trickling into the stands while down on the pitch, Jordan Pickford goes through some kicking drills.
Pickford continues in goal in front of a new-look defence with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jarrell Quansah, Marc Guehi and Lewis Hall. This feels like an important moment for Alexander-Arnold in particular to impress and book his place in Thomas Tuchel’s November camp. On the other side, Hall is making a strong case to challenge Nico O’Reilly.
Myles Lewis-Skelly is back in midfield in place of the injured Alex Scott. The Arsenal midfielder was good here against Spain a couple of weeks ago and gets another chance to show his ability on the ball in a game where England should have plenty of possession.
Thomas Tuchel’s appetite for youth shows England’s exciting new direction
19:05 , Flo CliffordThomas Tuchel says Alex Scott could now challenge Declan Rice for his starting role in the England squad after his superb debut against Croatia, the latest instance of the Three Lions boss refusing to pander to the established stars, writes Will Castle:
Thomas Tuchel’s appetite for youth shows England’s exciting new direction
Harry Kane makes history
18:50 , Flo CliffordHarry Kane’s selection in the starting XI, as expected, means he will move level with Peter Shilton on a record 125th cap, the most-ever for an English male player.
Team news
18:43 , Flo CliffordFour changes for Thomas Tuchel’s intrepid band: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Eberechi Eze and Morgan Rogers are all brought in to the starting XI, with the injured duo of Ezri Konsa and Alex Scott, as well as Anthony Gordon and Bukayo Saka, dropping out (the latter two to the bench).
