England dominate in Prague and claim a clear first Nations League win

In the Prague stadium, where the evening cold wrapped fans in thick jackets, the English set a clear sign from the start. After a 2:3‑defeat against the reigning world champion Spain, the "Three Lions" on Tuesday secured a 2:0‑win against the bottom side Czech Republic and thereby claimed their first success in the UEFA Nations League.

Early chances and a red card for the hosts

The English dominated the match from the start. Morgan Rogers (16.) saw a curling shot hit the post, while follow‑up attempts from Elliot Anderson and Bukayo Saka were blocked. Anthony Gordon also missed the goal (22.). Shortly after, Pavel Sulc struck Anderson on the shin, but a VAR‑intervention turned the yellow card into a red, so the Czechs continued with ten men (25.).

Gordon and Kane decide the match

After the break, Trent Alexander‑Arnold exploited a misplaced pass to head Gordon to 1:0. In the 61st minute goalkeeper Matej Kovar saved a shot from Harry, but the game remained still low‑scoring. Eight minutes later Harry Kane added the second goal from close range, sealing the result (77.). James Trafford only had to parry a shot from Hlozek. Coach Thomas Tuchel could breathe a sigh of relief after the win.

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The victory came after a disappointing 2:3 against Spain, which had previously celebrated a 4:1‑win over Croatia. In the Spanish match, Lamine Yamal scored his tenth international goal, while Croatia striker Dion Beljo netted his first international goal.

Lee Smith reported for the Nations League that England, despite the clear win, displayed defensive errors that had already been criticised in the previous game against Spain. In particular, Bukayo Saka's performances were described as unsettled, while the offensive contributions of Gordon and Kane were praised.

After the match, Thomas Tuchel emphasized that the team must continue working on the defence, even though the result was positive. The "Three Lions" now have three points and a clean sheet, but Smith's analysis points out that the defence still shows weaknesses.