Kane delivers winner on landmark outing
Harry Kane marked his record-breaking outing with a decisive second-half penalty as England qualified for the Nations League quarter-finals with a 2-1 win over Croatia.
Having matched Peter Shilton's benchmark during the last international break, Kane became England's most-capped player with his 126th appearance.
Fittingly, the Bayern Munich talisman stepped up from the penalty spot to restore England's lead just past the hour after Petar Sucic had cancelled out Morgan Rogers' first-half breakthrough.
Kane also played a huge role in the 24th-minute opener. He lofted a wonderful pass for Jude Bellingham to volley into the six-yard box, with Rogers bundling home after Josko Gvardiol failed to clear.
Mateo Kovacic and Martin Baturina tested Jordan Pickford in response as Croatia, who lost 7-0 to England last month, produced an improved first-half showing compared to their dismal performance in Rijeka.
England should have doubled the lead after the interval as Anthony Gordon whipped wide, before Josip Stanisic cleared off the line to stop Kane from converting Declan Rice's offload.
Bellingham then dragged a tame effort at Dominik Livakovic after Gordon's penalty appeals were waved away, and Croatia made the hosts pay for those missed chances with a 59th-minute equaliser.
A Croatia corner bounced off Gvardiol before Jarell Quansah clumsily headed straight into the path of Sucic, who thrashed high past Pickford from point-blank range.
But Quansah made amends four minutes later, winning a penalty from Ivan Smolcic's shirt pull – awarded after a VAR review – before Kane clipped down the middle from 12 yards.
Slaven Bilic's side fired another warning when Nikola Vlasic breezed past Dan Burn and angled narrowly wide, before Mario Pasalic's volley almost beat Pickford after James Garner saw a late finish ruled out.
Ante Budimir then headed just over from another Croatia corner as England managed to hold on and set up Sunday's decisive visit to Madrid, where they will need to beat world champions Spain to top Group A3.
Harry Edward Kane
England
