EURO 2020 QUALIFYING KANE’S A

As Harry overtakes legend Hurst in scoring list, Southgate

GARETH SOUTHGATE saluted Harry Kane as the greatest goalscorer in the world before kick-off.

That’s an argument which is up for debate – but as far as England goes the statistics are certainly stacking up in his favour.

His second hat-trick for the Three Lions took his tally to 25 from 40 internationals.

Yesterday he leapfrogged two legends, Sir Geoff Hurst and Stan Mortensen in the all-time scoring list.

And, if he stays fit, he will overhaul Wayne Rooney’s 53 strikes before he has reached his century of international caps.

Six more goals will see him jump up to sixth on the list behind Michael Owen, and if he comes up against opponents as hopeless as the Bulgars he will be there in no time.

Comical

England had started sluggishly against opponents who were content to leave just one player up front. But the Bulgarians’ limitations were exposed in the comical manner in which the first goal was conceded.

As is the modern trend, keeper Plamen Iliev played the ball out to central defender Georgi Sarmov. He received it back and then tried the same pass to his left. Unfortunately for him, Raheem Sterling nipped ahead of his opponent.

Kane (below with Southgate) cleverly pulled away from rom the near post and had the simplest of chances to pass the ball into the net.

England had to wait until ntil three minutes into the he second half before e grabbing their second.

It was a penalty. It was

Kane. And you know the result.

Marcus Rashford, who had a good evening, raced down the left and d pulled the ball back only y for Nikolay Bodurov to pull him down. The referee made one of the easiest decisions of his afternoon in pointing to the spot and Kane grabbed his second.

England were now two goals to the good – both chalked down against the skipper’s name – when Rashford’s pass gave his colleague the chance for a third.

The angle was acute but Kane selflessly chose to pass the ball across g goal and give Sterling (right) the th opportunity to divert the bal ball into an empty net off his th thigh.

T The striker put the co country’s interests before pe personal glory and, as a r reward for that act of g generosity, he then won a and converted his s second penalty of the m match to claim the m match ball anyway.

Ten penalties out of ten. Kane was delighted and

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