SERRAVALLE, San Marino – Harry Kane scored four goals in England’s 10-0 demolition of San Marino as Gareth Southgate’s side made official their place in next year’s World Cup finals in Qatar.
Switzerland beat Bulgaria 4-0 to clinch top spot in Europe Group C and a place in next year’s tournament in Qatar.
In truth England needed only a point against the world’s 210th and lowest-ranked footballing nation to seal top spot in Group I so the only real question was how many goals they would deliver to mark the occasion.
Kane duly filled his boots, following up his hat-trick in the 5-0 win against Albania on Friday with four goals before halftime, including two penalties, swelling his England tally to 48 to move joint third on the list alongside Gary Lineker.
Harry Maguire began the rout with a sixth-minute header and Filippo Fabbri scored an own goal before Kane took over to put England 6-0 ahead before halftime.
Emile Smith-Rowe marked his first England start with the seventh and even after Kane was substituted the punishment continued for San Marino who had Dante Rossi sent off for a second yellow card.
Tyrone Mings, substitute Tammy Abraham and Bukayo Saka all got on the scoresheet in a farcically one-sided match that did little for the reputation of international football.
Elsewhere, John Souttar scored in his first international game for three years to give Scotland a 2-0 win over Denmark in World Cup qualifying and secure a home draw in the playoffs.
Denmark had already won Group F but Scotland spoiled the European Championship semifinalist’s perfect record as they aimed to win 10 games out of 10.
Scotland put pressure on Denmark from the start and won a succession of set-pieces. John McGinn swung Scotland’s eighth corner deep to the far post, where Liam Cooper nodded it back for Souttar to head in. He hadn’t played for Scotland since a red card against Israel in October 2018.
Denmark substitute Mikael Uhre miskicked an excellent chance straight at Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon in the 85th. A minute later, Scotland made Denmark pay as Che Adams charged in behind the Danish defense on the counter and scored.
Scotland will enter the playoffs in March along with 11 other teams who finished second in qualifying groups or else had a good record in the UEFA Nations League. They will be placed into four-team brackets to play for the three World Cup spots on offer.
Elsewhere in Group F, Israel finished third after beating the Faeroe Islands 3-2 in a tense finish, and Austria won against Moldova 4-1.
Discussion about this post