One move with Trent Alexander-Arnold's right foot decided a tight match in Prague. His whipped cross, 67 seconds into the second half, found Anthony Gordon for the opener, and England held on to their advantage to the end, escaping the foot of Group A3 with a 2-0 Nations League win.
Gordon strikes early in second half
Gordon needed only 67 seconds after the restart to change the complexion of the match. The wide forward stooped to nod home Alexander-Arnold's driven delivery from the right wing, and his rare headed goal paid off the work he has put in on the training ground. The goal arrived with Czechia already down to ten men and unable to maintain the defensive solidity that had frustrated England for 45 minutes.
Šulc sees red after VAR review
The match turned definitively in the 23rd minute when Pavel Šulc lunged into a challenge on Elliot Anderson, catching him above the ankle with his studs high. Referee Halil Umut Meler initially reached for a yellow card, but a review on the pitchside monitor prompted him to change his decision and produce a straight red card. From that moment, Czechia's plans were reduced to defending.
Kane seals the win and reaches 87
Harry Kane removed any remaining doubt in the 69th minute, pouncing on a loose ball after Morgan Rogers stumbled inside the penalty area — and whether he wins the Ballon d'Or, we will find out soon. The captain drilled a low, left-footed finish into the bottom corner from eight yards out, registering his 87th international goal for England. It was the final seal on a match in which the visitors had the ball and controlled the game throughout.
The statistics clearly showed that the match was played largely in one half of the pitch. England held 66 percent possession and produced 22 attempts on goal, seven of them on target, while Czechia managed just six shots in total and only one corner. Yet for all that dominance, the score remained 0-0 until Gordon's goal, showing how stubbornly the hosts defended before the red card broke their resistance.
The result is also important for Tuchel's project. England's first win in Prague since 1908 took them to second in the group with three points from two matches, with Croatia their next opponents. Czechia have lost two consecutive home matches for the first time this decade and remain bottom without a point after back-to-back defeats under Santi Denia.
Match Information
Competition: UEFA Nations League
Date & Time: Tuesday 29 September 2026, 20:45 CET
Venue: Sinobo Stadium, Prague
Referee: Halil Umut Meler
