World Cup
International
Break
live
Updated 2m ago
England lead Latvia 3-0 in Riga, with first-half goals from Anthony Gordon and a Harry Kane brace putting them on course to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
Thomas Tuchel’s side need three more points to book their spot in next summer's tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
Gordon opened the scoring with a quality strike before Kane added a clinical goal from open play and a well-taken penalty.
Hell hath no fury like a group of football fans mildly scorned.
Advertisement
It was a brilliant strike from Harry Kane to make it 2-0, burying it into the far bottom corner with his left foot from 20 yards.
England are very much in the driving seat and are looking very comfortable now.
And that's the break!
Latvia had done OK to restrict England to a lead of just one moments before the break but collapsed with two goals conceded in just four minutes immediately before the interval.
Now the win is pretty much secured, you'd have thought.
45+3' Latvia 0-3 England
It's now three for England before half-time!
Kane pauses, stutters, and sends the goalkeeper the wrong way before rolling it into the bottom-left corner.
Simple.
45+3' Latvia 0-2 England
Kane was convinced his shirt was being pulled by Latvia captain Cernomordijs from that Rice corner, and appealed vociferously.
VAR looked, called the referee over to the screen, and replays showed he was being tugged back by the defender, even if he went down a bit easily eventually.
The ref points to the spot…
45+3' Latvia 0-2 England
Harry Kane might have another now!
The referee points to the spot!
Advertisement
45+2' Latvia 0-2 England
Only one minute of added time at the end of the half and Kane nearly has a second in two minutes.
Cross from the left, Kane is free at the back post, he nods it back into the ground and towards the corner, brilliant diving stop from Zviedris, who also palms the inswinging corner from Rice away.
45' Latvia 0-2 England
England captain Harry Kane's remarkable goalscoring run continues.
Moments after playing in Rice with a gorgeous reverse pass, cut out by goalkeeper Zviedris, he doubles the lead.
Good pressing again from England, Saka closing a defender down, and the ball broke loose for Kane outside the box.
There didn't appear to be anything more than a half-chance on but he rattled it into the bottom-left corner from 20 yards out.
Left foot, weak foot, hard and low and past the sprawling goalkeeper. So clinical.
44' Latvia 0-2 England
Harry Kane might have sealed England's place at the 2026 World Cup!
A lovely left-footed finish from the captain.
43' Latvia 0-1 England
Wasteful from England.
Elliot Anderson, who despite looking so comfortable in the team has still only played less than 300 minutes for his country, is played in via a fine horizontal pass from Lewis-Skelly but slashes it wide.
England pushing for a second now.
Another good Gordon cross was not turned in by anyone, then Gordon has another shot deflected wide.
A second goal now would kill the game.
Advertisement
38' Latvia 0-1 England
Anthony Gordon looking confident now.
First, he squares up the defender and plays a brilliant low cross along the area but Balodis does well to get his body in the way of Kane and stop the striker tapping it into an empty net.
Then Anderson intercepts, Rice charges onwards, drops it to Gordon, who cuts inside but it's blocked behind for a corner. No! The referee didn't see it and gives a goal kick.
Gordon and Rice cannot believe that.
37' Latvia 0-1 England
Silent Library FC, also known as England, have settled nicely back into their rhythm as they continue to push for goals.
Latvia still sitting deep and committing plenty of numbers behind the ball.
They're really struggling to get out of their half and relieve the near-constant pressure.
England fans still singing about their perceived quietness. “1-0 to the library” and “It's all gone quiet over here” now.
31' Latvia 0-1 England
Ouch. Good defending from Djed Spence, who is marmalised by a mistimed rather than malicious sliding tackle from Andrejs Ciganiks.
Ciganiks is booked and will miss the next match. That will end his 59-match consecutive streak of internationals stretching back five years!
28' Latvia 0-1 England
Now then, Latvia want a handball! Wing-back Jurkovskis burst down the right side, crossed in low and midfielder Varslavans poked it goalwards with the ball striking Ezri Konsa's arm.
However, he was very close to the ball, it came at him quickly, and the arm was close to his body. Nothing doing, and the referee agrees after a VAR check. Play on.
Advertisement
Brilliant long ball over the top from Stones to Gordon, who cuts inside and puts it in the bottom corner with his right foot.
Really well worked goal for England.
28' Latvia 0-1 England
John Stones from deep had the ball in loads of space at left centre-back and waved his left arm to encourage Gordon to run beyond the defence from the left touchline.
He did, latched onto the pass, cut inside characteristically onto his stronger right foot, and this time was super accurate with the shot, curling it into the bottom-right corner.
No chance for the goalkeeper really.
A muted celebration but he must be delighted with that. He's deserved it.
26' Latvia 0-1 England
Anthony Gordon finds the corner!
He's been one of the brightest sparks for England so far today and he is rewarded with the opening goal.