Thanks to Harry Kane, Gareth Southgate’s England booked their place at Qatar 2022, following a 10-0 victory over San Marino.
After hitting Albania for five on Friday, the Three Lions knew they were just a point away from securing qualification for next year’s World Cup.
Southgate made seven changes to the team that started against Albania. Jordan Pickford, Kyle Walker, John Stones, Jordan Henderson, Reece James, and Raheem Sterling were replaced by debutant Aaron Ramsdale, Tyrone Mings, Connor Coady, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Bukayo Saka, and Emile Smith-Rowe.
Judging by their previous matches against the two sides, most England fans were expecting a goal-fest from England.
And It took just six minutes for them to open the scoring.
Embed from Getty ImagesHarry Maguire, who scored on Friday, pounced on a corner from Jude Bellingham and headed into the bottom corner of the net and England was on their way.
Nine minutes later, Bukayo Saka’s attempted shot on goal deflected off defender Filippo Fabri to double their lead.
Embed from Getty ImagesEngland’s Captain made it 3-0 in the 27th minute following a handball by Dante Rossi off Phill Foden’s attempted bicyclet-kick
Embed from Getty ImagesBefore he latched on to a Smith-Rowe cross to make it four.
Embed from Getty ImagesSan Marino’s defenders were all over the place and in the 39th minute, they conceded their first penalty, which Kane slotted home to make it 5-0 and another hat-trick.
Embed from Getty ImagesSan Marino was praying for the half-time whistle, but Kane was not done yet. in the 41st minute, he added a fourth to make it 6-0 at half-time.
Embed from Getty ImagesJust as you thought things could not get any worse for the Sammarinese, Smith-Row netted in his second goal for England, to make it seven.
Embed from Getty ImagesBefore Villa’s Tyronne Mings made it eight.
Embed from Getty ImagesJude Bellingham was denied a first senior goal by VAR.
Embed from Getty ImagesBut Tammy Abraham stepped up to make it nine.
Embed from Getty ImagesSaka finished things off by adding a tenth.
Embed from Getty ImagesWith this victory, England has now secured World Cup Qualification.
Southgate gave a positive reflection on the team’s performance in their penultimate World Cup Qualifier.
“I like the fact we have a mentality where we don’t take our foot off the gas, and whatever the challenge the players respond to it,” the England manager said. “We have broken a few records over the last few years. It breeds hunger and desire. They were all queuing up to score towards the end. It was probably good to have younger players on tonight.”
Before setting off to Qatar next November, England as of yet do not have any upcoming friendlies on their agenda. it will therefore be interesting how the squad shapes up by then, particularly with the likes of Smith Rowe and Palace’s Connor Gallagher getting their first senior caps.
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