A typically insatiable Harry Kane fired England to the 2026 World Cup as the captain scored twice in the 5-0 hammering of Latvia which extended the Three Lions’ 100 percent record in qualifying. Kane, who had missed Thursday’s friendly win over Wales with an ankle injury, returned to set a new England record by scoring more than once for the 13th time in international football to move on to 76 goals for his country.
Anthony Gordon set England on their way to a sixth consecutive win in World Cup qualifying by scoring in the 26th minute, latching onto a defence-splitting ball from John Stones and cutting inside onto his right foot before sweeping into the far bottom corner.
Kane then struck twice in the space of four minutes to effectively seal qualification before the half-time whistle had gone. First he curled in a left-footed strike from outside the box after aggressive pressing from Bukayo Saka and then dispatched a penalty which he had earned after being pulled down by Latvia captain Antonijs Cernomordijs.
England didn’t rest on their laurels in the second half and scored again with little effort thanks to a comical own goal, Maksims Tonisevs diverting a Djed Spence cross – which was going well wide – into his own net before substitute Eberechi Eze capped a near-perfect night for Thomas Tuchel’s side by scoring a splendid fifth goal.
GOAL rates England’s players from Daugava Stadium…