Harry Kane doubles up on landmark night as England cruise past Czechia

It was a night that belonged to Harry Kane. Yet another one. It began with him being shown a replay of his first England goal during a pre-match interview with ITV – the header against Lithuania in 2015, just 79 seconds after he came on as a substitute for his debut. It ended with him reflecting on two more in what was a supremely comfortable Nations League victory over Czechia. Some things never change.

It remains a numbers game for Kane. They are getting bigger and ever more impressive. On the occasion of his 125th cap, the one that took him level with Peter Shilton at the top of the all-time England list, he moved to an astonishing 91 goals. Nobody will be surprised if he reaches the century. The only question appears to be when.

England know how to beat the game’s smaller fry. Under Thomas Tuchel, they have played 16 matches against teams ranked outside the world’s top 20. They have won 15 and drawn one – against Ghana at the World Cup. They have conceded only once – against the Democratic Republic of the Congo, also at the World Cup. Czechia, who are ranked No 50, were never in the contest.

Related: Harry Kane wins record-equalling 125th England cap, drawing level with Peter Shilton

Kane is similarly inevitable. The captain even claimed the assist for the breakthrough goal with a cross into the corridor of uncertainty that spooked Vladimir Coufal so severely he shot into his own net. Kane’s passing was very good. When he was withdrawn in the 82nd minute, he left to a great ovation.

The victory meant that England virtually guaranteed their progress into the Nations League quarter-finals and, perhaps more importantly, saw them close out this elongated window with plenty of optimism. One of the main goals was to put as much distance as possible between themselves and the World Cup semi-final defeat against Argentina. It was mission accomplished.

Kane will break the caps record when England host Croatia in November and that will be the night when he is truly feted. As an aside, he would want to do it at Wembley rather than in Madrid against Spain where England’s next-but-one game will be staged. Was that why he was so keen to play in all four of the matches during this window? It might have been a part of it.

The world champions Spain recovered to beat Croatia 2-1 on Tuesday, with Mikel Merino scoring twice to seal a place in the Nations League quarter-finals.

Three days after Croatia were trounced 7-0 by visitors England, they threatened a ​major upset against Spain in Split when Ivan ‌Perisic sent a well-placed header ‌into the bottom-left corner in the 17th minute to give them the lead.

But Merino equalised in the 61st, finding space in the middle of the box before firing a left-footed shot into the bottom corner.

Croatia were reduced to 10 men when Perisic was sent off for a second yellow card in the 79th minute and Merino completed Spain’s comeback 10 minutes later with another left-footed finish into the corner of the net.

Switzerland’s Fabian Rieder, Johan Manzambi and Dan Ndoye scored in a 3-0 win over ​North Macedonia to maintain their 100% record in Group B1

Then again, Kane always wants to play. He was one of only three England players to start each of the matches in this series. The others were Manchester City’s Marc Guéhi and Elliot Anderson. Was the City manager, Enzo Maresca, happy about that? Probably not. Does he have bigger problems at the moment? Yes.

Kane’s act of drawing level with Shilton was the box-office detail. His name was on everybody’s lips; his face on the big screen before kick-off. He was pictured alongside Shilton when his name was read out with the teams. The Wembley crowd roared.

Kane was at the heart of the opening goal, providing the teasing cross from the right and it was some finish from the player just inside the six-yard box. One that Kane would have been happy to call his own. The problem from a Czechia point of view was that it came from their right-back. Coufal could feel Eberechi Eze at his back as he faced towards his own goal, albeit the England winger was not that close. Coufal stretched and everybody had the time to have the same thought: you do not have to do this. Coufal did it. He could not check his momentum and steered firmly past his goalkeeper.

Trent Alexander-Arnold, who Tuchel recalled at right-back, was involved in the buildup and he caught the eye, especially when surging up and inside. He repeatedly got into advanced areas and there was one moment in the first half when he stormed into the No 9 position on to an Anderson pass. He just could not bring it under his spell. Alexander-Arnold had extended Lukas Hornicek with a whipped free-kick at the outset.

Jude Bellingham was excellent. Of course he was. There were fizzed passes from him that took the breath, getting England into dangerous positions, including one for Morgan Rogers in the 25th minute that the Chelsea attacker wasted. There were those strutting runs and it was Bellingham, as much as anybody, who advertised the fact that England were going to break through.

Anderson should have made it 2-0 after a Bellingham lay-off; Kane sparked the move and Alexander-Arnold’s cross drove it. The second goal arrived before half-time and it had to be Kane. It would have been all about the buildup were it not for the identity of the scorer. Anderson’s lofted ball up the inside right was a beauty and Rogers’ first-time cross on the half-volley was even better, cut unerringly towards you-know-who in the middle. Kane was unmarked. Hornicek was helpless.

Kane wanted more. As usual. He got it. As usual. There was the moment shortly after the restart when he unloaded from the edge of the area and watched the shot kiss the top of the crossbar. Hornicek was beaten. Then he was for real.

It was Lewis Hall – impressive at left-back – who swung over the corner, which came after Hornicek kept out an audacious Bellingham flick. Only Jiri Slama knows why he gave Kane so much room in front of goal. It was always going to end badly for the Czechia defender. Kane rose and the header had too much power for Hornicek.

There was the minor irritation for Tuchel when Myles Lewis-Skelly got himself booked in the 53rd minute for pulling back Pavel Sulc. The midfielder will be suspended for England’s next game and it was certainly not a great idea for him to get in the face of Michal Sadilek shortly afterwards. Sadilek had fouled Rogers and was booked. It was a needless risk from Lewis-Skelly.

England toyed with Czechia in the second half with Eze running through some of his party tricks. It was Kane who provided the substance.