10-0 Kane hits four as England qualify in style
HARRY KANE led England to their biggest-ever competitive win as they blitzed their way to the World Cup last night with a 10-0 thumping of ten-man san Marino.
The England captain, who netted three times against Albania on Friday night, had scored four more by half-time here, moving to 48 for his country, just five behind Wayne Rooney’s record tally.
harry Maguire, Emile smith Rowe, Tyrone Mings, Tammy Abraham, Bukayo saka and an own goal completed the scoring as England hit double figures.
The win sealed a place in Qatar for Gareth southgate’s side next year, while Tottenham star Kane moved equal on England goals with Gary Lineker and one behind sir Bobby Charlton.
southgate said: ‘Qualification was earned away in Budapest, Warsaw and Albania. i have to credit all our players and staff for the way they applied themselves. it was terrific.’
The visitors needed just six minutes to take the lead. Maguire, who opened the scoring against Albania, met a Phil Foden corner with a header that flew into the back of the net.
They doubled their lead in the 15th minute when Bukayo saka’s low shot was deflected in by defender Filippo Fabbri.
Kane hit England’s third from the penalty spot in the 27th minute, his 13th for his country this year, a new national record.
The spot-kick was awarded in bizarre circumstances as Foden’s acrobatic volley was going well wide but brushed off the fingertips of Dante Rossi.
Kane hit his second a little over three minutes later. smith Rowe’s ball into the box was fired home by Kane. The spurs man completed his hat-trick — his fifth for England and second in two games — with a second penalty in the 39th minute after his header was handled by Alessandro D’Addario. his fourth came moments later as he weaved through the area and fired into the bottom corner, making it 6-0.
smith Rowe crowned his first England start by making it 7-0 just before the hour. saka delivered the ball from the right and smith Rowe finished tidily from a neat flick by sub Tammy Abraham.
san Marino’s night got even worse when Rossi earned a second yellow card for hauling down substitute Conor Gallagher and was sent off. Trent AlexanderArnold clipped the resulting free-kick into the box and Tyrone Mings headed in to make it 8-0.
Jude Bellingham thought he had got England’s ninth but it was disallowed by VAR for a foul.
Abraham did make it 9-0 when he took Alexander-Arnold’s lofted ball on his thigh and turned to score. saka headed the tenth from another Alexander-Arnold cross.
Kane couldn’t hide his delight at time up, saying: ‘We were expected to win tonight, but we’ve done a really good job. it feels fantastic.’
On equalling Lineker’s goals tally for his country, he added: ‘That’s also fantastic. it’s nice to be among those names.’
Runners-up in Group i, Poland, finished six points adrift of England after a surprise 2-1 home defeat by hungary.