England secured their first victory in the 2026 UEFA Nations League on Tuesday, defeating a 10-man Czech Republic squad 2-0 at the Fortuna Arena in Prague. The goals came from Anthony Gordon and Harry Kane, helping Thomas Tuchel’s side bounce back after a 3-2 loss to Spain at Wembley four days earlier.
The match shifted dramatically in the 25th minute when Czech midfielder Pavel Sulc was shown a red card. Initially booked for a late, high challenge on England’s Elliot Anderson, the yellow card was upgraded to red after a video assistant referee (VAR) review by Turkish referee Umut Meler. Despite being down to ten men, Czech Republic maintained resilience in the first half, keeping England at bay and limiting clear scoring opportunities.
England’s starting lineup featured four changes from their previous match, most notably the inclusion of Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back—his first start in nearly two years—alongside Morgan Rogers, who replaced Jude Bellingham. While England dominated possession early, they struggled to break through Czech’s organized defense during the first 45 minutes. Morgan Rogers came close to scoring after hitting the post in the 15th minute, and captain Harry Kane narrowly missed a curling shot just before halftime, saved by Czech goalkeeper Matej Kovar.
The deadlock was broken shortly after the interval when Alexander-Arnold delivered a precise cross from the right flank, which Gordon converted with a header. This marked Gordon’s third goal in his last three international appearances, following strikes against Argentina and Spain earlier this year. England pressed for a second goal, with Lewis Hall forcing an own-goal chance when his cross struck Czech captain Ladislav Krejci’s post.
Midway through the second half, Kane doubled England’s lead by finishing emphatically after a loose ball fell to him inside the box. The scoreline reflected England’s growing control following the numerical advantage, although Kovar made several key saves to prevent further goals. Tuchel introduced substitutes including Alex Scott and Rio Ngumoha as England looked to maintain pressure and secure the win.
Tuchel described the early red card as an awkward moment for both teams and spectators but emphasized the importance of collecting three points. The win places England second in Group A3, trailing Spain by three points, who defeated Croatia 4-1 in Seville on the same night. England will face Croatia away on October 3, while Czech Republic travel to meet Spain.
Meanwhile, Spain continued their strong Nations League start, extending their unbeaten run to 40 matches by beating Croatia 4-1 at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán Stadium in Seville. Nineteen-year-old Lamine Yamal scored twice, boosting his Ballon d’Or candidacy ahead of the award announcement later this month. Spain’s coach Luis de la Fuente praised Yamal’s contributions, while captain Rodri proudly displayed the World Cup trophy before kickoff. The Spanish team maintained control throughout the match despite a brief Croatian equalizer, ultimately securing a comfortable victory.
Both England and Spain look to build on their positive starts as the Nations League group stage continues.