England Vs Czech Republic: Gordon And Kane On Target In Prague

Barcelona star Anthony Gordon makes left wing his own in England win

Anthony Gordon proved his worth for England once again as the Three Lions strolled to a 2-0 victory over the Czech Republic in Prague on Tuesday night to kickstart their Nations League Group A3 campaign.

Gordon shines again as England beat Czech Republic 2-0 in Nations League...

Anthony Gordon proved his value to England yet again, as the Three Lions eventually cruised to a 2-0 win over the Czech Republic in Prague on Tuesday night to get their Nations League Group A3 campaign up and running, with Thomas Tuchel still appearing to search for the right formula.

The Barcelona winger was a constant menace for the visitors, opening the scoring with a header.

Ever more assured in an England shirt, the former Newcastle winger looked calm in possession and constantly made his presence felt inside the box. He led the match for touches in the opposition box with 10, while registering 88% pass accuracy in the final third.

The Three Lions have tested a number of options on the left flank over recent international windows, but Gordon is now making the position his own under Tuchel.

He has six goals for his country to date, and looks certain to add to that tally with every game that passes.

Czechs set early pace before England find their rhythm

If the display against Spain was all high-energy pressing, incisive passing and entertainment, the first half against the Czech Republic was a return to the hard yards.

Early on, the hosts set the tempo and showed more intent, with Harry Kane even dropping into his own penalty area to try to spark something. The absence of Jude Bellingham, who drove forward so well against the Spanish, felt telling as his replacement Morgan Rogers struggled to find room in a congested midfield.

Anthony Gordon was at his most dangerous whenever he received the ball, with all of England’s best openings in the first 45 minutes coming down his left side. Only committed defending and a slice of luck kept the game goalless at 0-0.

The major flashpoint, however, was Pavel Sulc's dismissal. His high, reckless challenge on Elliot Anderson was upgraded from a yellow to a red after a VAR check, and the Lyon forward their main goal threat can have few complaints.

From there, the match turned into an attack-versus-defence drill, with England tasked with breaking down the hosts. At times, with the pressure mounting, almost all of their outfield players were camped on the edge of the Czech box, but the lack of a clinical edge will concern Tuchel.

Only Gordon looked willing to take on defenders on the dribble, while Bukayo Saka endured a quiet night on the opposite flank.

Alexander-Arnold delivers on England return

And it was the Barcelona man who broke the deadlock. A pinpoint, whipped delivery from Trent Alexander-Arnold evaded the Czech defence, allowing Gordon to head back across goal and beyond Matej Kovar.

It has been a lean couple of years for Alexander-Arnold in an England shirt. His last appearance came under Lee Carsley against Finland in 2024, and that assist was a reminder of what he can offer the national side. Notably, his teammates rushed to celebrate with him before the goalscorer a show of backing after a difficult spell.

With a numerical advantage and a one-goal lead, England were in control from then on. Harry Kane netted his 87th international goal to add gloss to what was otherwise a rather laboured display.

Tuchel had spoken before the game in his press conference about needing more incisive passing, and as he watched on impassively from the touchline, his players reflected that mood. The tempo never matched that of the Spain game and, while England were rarely troubled by the Czechs, the manager will have wanted more intensity from his team.

Job done in Czechia 🫡

Three #NationsLeague points for our #ThreeLions 🤝 pic.twitter.com/yG5Vb5jocG

— England (@England) September 29, 2026

Bellingham, introduced for Kane to operate as a false nine late on, did bring some energy, but England never really moved out of second gear nor did they need to.

These are the kind of competitive fixtures England are expected to win, a test of sorts, but one they have cleared routinely in recent years. Tuchel is unlikely to have learned a great deal from Tuesday's victory, which perhaps points to an issue of not being ruthless enough in such games. Clinical efficiency will carry you far at tournaments, and ultimately prove decisive when Spain come calling.

An important #NationsLeague win! 📈#ThreeLions | @chase_uk pic.twitter.com/LZOa7Uzcsx

— England (@England) September 29, 2026

England are off the mark in this Nations League campaign, but the pieces have yet to fully fall into place.