England Rout Croatia 7-0 as Bukayo Saka Scores Twice in Nations League

Bukayo Saka and Harry Kane scored twice while Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon and Morgan Rogers added goals in England's 7-0 UEFA Nations League win over Croatia.

England put seven goals past Croatia without reply in UEFA Nations League play, a rout headlined by a two-goal performance from Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka. Speaking to ITV once the match was over, Saka described the occasion as "an amazing night for us."

Harry Kane matched Saka's effort with two goals of his own, while Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon and Morgan Rogers chipped in with a strike apiece. England were on the front foot from the opening whistle, and the attacking pressure they generated early laid the groundwork for the lopsided final scoreline. In all, five different England players scored on the night.

Saka's two goals came either side of the interval. His first arrived in the closing moments of the opening period, when Bellingham burst forward and supplied a pass into the penalty area for the winger to turn home from close range. The second followed after the restart: a Croatia pass went astray, Saka was quickest to the loose ball, and after linking up with Kane he finished the move for England's sixth goal of the night.

Saka reflected on the evening in a post-match interview with ITV, where he said England had "punished them." The Guardian's report of his comments records him pointing to the team's energy and its sharpness in front of goal as the driving forces behind the scoreline. He also noted that scoring twice for England is "always a nice feeling."

Saka also spoke about what the performance said about the group. In his description, the win showed the hunger, passion and quality that England want to make part of their approach every time they play.

There was generous praise for teammates in his remarks as well. Saka labeled Bellingham "amazing tonight" and argued that the midfielder deserves to be recognized as England's player of the year, adding that he is glad to line up alongside him. He also highlighted Anthony Gordon's form, pointing to him as another player delivering strong performances for the national team.

The win provides a lift for England as their Nations League campaign continues. Three group matches remain on the calendar, beginning with the last match of the current international break, to be followed by two further group games later in the campaign.

Saka was one of five Arsenal players named in England's squad for this round of internationals. His standing in the national team setup was already well established: at the World Cup, he delivered the corner from which Bellingham scored against Panama, part of the run that saw England finish first in their group.

Attention soon turns back to club football, where Arsenal are scheduled to visit Manchester City at Etihad Stadium on Sunday, October 4. The match kicks off at 11:30 AM EDT and airs on Paramount+.