Sulc was sent off after 25 minutes, and Gordon and Kane gave England their first Nations League win in Prague
Trent Alexander-Arnold set up Anthony Gordon on his first England start in almost two years, and Harry Kane scored his 87th international goal as ten-man Czechia lost 2-0.
Sep 30, 2026
England needed 25 minutes and a VAR review to get going in Prague. Pavel Sulc caught Elliot Anderson above the ankle with his studs, the referee showed yellow, and after a look at the pitchside monitor it became red. Czechia played the rest of the night with ten men, and England won 2-0 through Anthony Gordon and Harry Kane for their first points of the Nations League.
The first half was not much to look at. England went in 0-0 against ten men, with some of the loose passing that cost them at Wembley on Saturday, when Spain came from behind to win 3-2. The difference came straight after the restart.
Trent’s cross, Gordon’s head
Trent Alexander-Arnold was making his first England start in about two years, and 67 seconds into the second half he showed why Thomas Tuchel picked him. He whipped a cross in from the right and Gordon headed it in, 47 minutes on the clock.
“I’ve been dying to play with Trent for that reason,” Gordon said afterwards. “He has the technique, ability and bravery to make that pass.” He had also scored in the defeat to Spain on Saturday, and so had Kane.
Alexander-Arnold kept it simple when asked about his return. “It’s been a long time but I’ve always believed I can play for England and always want to,” he said.
Kane makes it safe
The second goal was scrappier. Eberechi Eze, on at half-time, slipped a pass towards Morgan Rogers, the ball broke loose in the box, and Kane steadied himself and finished in the 69th minute. That is 87 goals in 123 games for his country, and a better night for the captain three days after his penalty hit the bar against Spain.
With the game settled, Tuchel went to his bench. Rio Ngumoha and Alex Scott both came on for their first competitive England appearances, and Ngumoha, at 18, became one of the youngest players to feature for England in a competitive match.
England had 22 shots, and James Trafford made two good saves at the other end. The clean sheet may be what Tuchel takes home. It was England’s first in seven matches, after 13 goals conceded in the previous six.
“We played very professionally in the second half,” Tuchel said. “We needed to be a bit more dynamic and put more urgency into our play.” That is fair. Against ten men for more than an hour, 2-0 was a job done rather than a statement.
Where it leaves Group A3
Spain beat Croatia 4-1 in Seville on the same night, so they are three points clear at the top with six. England and Croatia have three each, and Czechia, under their new Spanish coach Santi Denia, have none after two defeats.
There is no rest. England play Croatia in Rijeka on Saturday, 3 October, behind closed doors because of a UEFA sanction on Croatia, with kick-off at 9:30pm IST. Then they host Czechia at Wembley on Tuesday, 6 October, which kicks off at 12:15am IST on Wednesday for fans in India.