England secured their first win of the 2026-27 UEFA Nations League campaign on Tuesday night, beating a 10-man Czechia 2-0 at the Fortuna Arena in Prague thanks to second-half goals from Anthony Gordon and Harry Kane.
England got their Nations League campaign back on track with a straightforward 2-0 victory over ten-man Czechia in Prague, after a disappointing opening defeat to Spain at Wembley. The result lifts Thomas Tuchel's side off the bottom of Group A3 after their defeat to Spain in the opening round.
Šulc's red card changes the game
Pavel Sulc's first-half red card helped England recover from a nervy start to register an Anthony Gordon-inspired 2-0 Nations League win over the Czech Republic in Prague. Sulc was sent off after 25 minutes for a late tackle on Elliot Anderson, following a VAR review of the challenge.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, the hosts were far from passive early on. England would have taken the lead in the 16th minute had Morgan Rogers' effort on the turn not hit the post, while goalkeeper Matej Kovář kept his side in contention with a string of saves before the interval.
Gordon strikes again for England
The breakthrough came almost immediately after the restart. It took England just 67 seconds after the restart to break the deadlock, with Trent Alexander-Arnold whipping in a stunning cross, which Gordon nodded past the goalkeeper.
It was another significant night for Alexander-Arnold, who headed home a fantastic cross by Trent Alexander-Arnold, who was making his first start under the German coach. Gordon's goal also extended his fine recent form, marking his third consecutive goal for the national team.
Kane extends his scoring record
England's captain settled any remaining nerves shortly after. Harry Kane added another to his record tally with an 87th international goal to seal victory, with Rogers and Krejci competing for a loose ball which falls to Kane, who makes no mistake sweeping home into the far corner.
The strike further cemented Kane's status as England's all-time top scorer. It was Kane's 87th international goal in his 123rd appearance, further extending his record as England's all-time leading scorer.
What Tuchel and his players said
Speaking after the match, Kane summed up the mood in the England camp with a simple assessment of the job done in Prague. Harry Kane said England "did what we had to do" after beating 10-man Czechia 2-0 in the Nations League.
Before kick-off, Tuchel had been careful not to overstate the importance of the fixture despite the pressure following the loss to Spain. "It's a bit early for must-win. I know what you mean, but it is a bit early in the group for a must-win," Tuchel told reporters.
What comes next for England
Attention now turns quickly to the next fixture in Group A3. After a 3-2 defeat to Spain in their opener, England returned to winning ways ahead of their next fixture against Croatia in Rijeka on October 3.
England will then complete a busy October window with a rematch against Spain. Following their meeting with Czechia, England travel to Croatia before facing Santi Denia's side again at Wembley Stadium on October 6, in what promises to be a pivotal moment in the group.