England beats Croatia 2-1 to reach Nations League quarter-finals

England defeated Croatia 2-1 in a Nations League group match at Wembley, clinching a place in the quarter-finals. Harry Kane converted a penalty in the 64th minute to make it 2-0, after Croatia had equalised through a goal by Sučić in the 59th minute.

The match saw several late-stage chances for both sides, including a header by Budimir that went over the bar in stoppage time and a missed opportunity by Burn that hit the post. Croatia made multiple substitutions, bringing on veterans such as Modrić, who earned his 207th cap, while England introduced fresh attackers including Ngumoha and Garner.

Referee decisions featured a VAR-reviewed penalty after Smolčić was judged to have grabbed Quansah’s shirt, leading to Kane’s spot-kick. Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford made several saves, notably denying a low drive from Bellingham.

The win puts England ahead in Group A3 and secures their progression to the next stage of the competition.