Thomas Tuchel corrects dreadful World Cup mistake as England beat Czech Republic
England picked up their first win of the Nations League with Anthony Gordon and Harry Kane getting on the scoresheet in the second half against the Czech Republic
Thomas Tuchel’s changes saw England pick up their first win of the Nations League(Image: UEFA via Getty Images)
England were good value in Prague as they picked up their first win of the Nations League against the Czech Republic.
Anthony Gordon and Harry Kane scored in the second-half as the Three Lions beat the 10-men 2-0 to get their first points on the board of the Nations League campaign. England dominated proceedings for the large part as the hosts failed to show any signs of attacking threat after a 25th minute red card.
England fell to defeat against the world and European champions Spain on Saturday as three individual errors shaped the game in the way of the visitors in their opening Nations League game.
Anthony Gordon is in sensational form for England(Image: Getty Images)
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And Tuchel opted to make four changes from that game, bringing in Trent Alexander-Arnold from the wilderness, alongside Trevoh Chalobah, Lewis Hall and Morgan Rogers, in place of Jarell Quansah, Ezri Konsa, Nico O’Reilly and Jude Bellingham.
Czech Republic also lost their opening game against Croatia in the tournament that no one really cares about, only less your country gets battered and embarrassed, and that lack of intrigue told by the many empty seats in the stands.
However, the action on the pitch was anything but subdued as both sides created a number of good opportunities, the best seeing Morgan Rogers hit the woodwork before Harry Kane was unable to sort his feet out in time and Elliot Anderson saw an effort blocked, then Bukayo Saka was denied by Jiri Slama’s block, all within the space of a matter of seconds.
Pavel Sulc was sent off for this challenge on Elliot Anderson(Image: The FA via Getty Images)
Just minutes earlier, Elliot Anderson’s complacency in possession was not punished as he was bailed out by James Trafford. But the Manchester City midfielder’s mistake wouldn’t be the biggest talking point of the half around him, and certainly not surrounding his club today.
Anderson was on the receiving end of a high and out-of-control challenge by Pavel Sulc, whose studded, shin-high tackle saw him sent off after a VAR review, overturning the initial yellow card. The Czech Player of the Year had no complaints and headed straight down the tunnel.
That moment meant the assignment completely changed for the Three Lions as the game took on a look of attack vs defence with the hosts dropping deep behind the ball, forcing England to break them down.
Trent Alexander-Arnold created England’s opener(Image: The FA via Getty Images)
But unsurprisingly, the chances dried up at both ends as the hosts dropped behind the ball. There were sights of goal for Anthony Gordon and Bukayo Saka before the break, but Tuchel introduced Eberechi Eze for Myles Lewis-Skelly at half-time in a push to make the breakthrough.
And while Eze played no key part, England took the lead through Gordon’s header just seconds after the restart.
Alexander-Arnold showed the entire country the quality in delivery they missed during the World Cup as he latched onto a loose ball and whipped a cross perfectly into the Barcelona winger’s path to nod into the far corner.
Harry Kane scored England’s second(Image: The FA via Getty Images)
The Real Madrid right-back has struggled for form and fitness since leaving Liverpool last summer and paid the price by failing to be included in Tuchel’s World Cup squad. Instead, the German’s baffling decision to play Quansah at right-back is ridiculous when he has someone with the ability of Alexander-Arnold to play.
England were a whisker away from going two up with another cross from the other side from Hall, another player whose ability was bafflingly overlooked by Tuchel in North America. The Newcastle left-back’s delivery was turned onto the post by Ladislav Krejci, taking the ball off the toes of Rogers, who was steaming in for a tap in.
The second did arrive before the game could have become nervous as Kane fired in a low, left footed effort across the goalkeeper and into the far corner with 20 minutes left.
