AP, London :
Harry Kane’s goalless streak was only five minutes from extending to eight games when the captain finally found the net again for England.
As Ben Chilwell floated a free kick into the penalty area, Kane slid in, stretched out his right foot and nudged the ball into the Croatia net. It came four months too late to secure a place for England in the World Cup final. But the World Cup Golden Boot winner ensured England went some way to avenging the Moscow semifinal loss to Croatia by turning the tables with a 2-1 victory at Wembley Stadium on Sunday. While England advanced to the final four of the inaugural UEFA Nations League, Croatia was relegated to the second tier. Any doubts about what soccer’s newest international competition means to England were dispelled in the relief and glee on Kane’s face as he darted toward the crowd in celebration before being leapt on by Jesse Lingard as the Wembley crowd roared.
Rarely in the 11 years since English soccer’s national stadium was rebuilt has there been such tension for an international game. Not, perhaps, since the opening months when England was beaten by Croatia and denied a place at the 2008 European Championship.
