Harry Kane netted a first-half quadruple as England hit San Marino for 10 in their final FIFA World Cup qualifying game. The Three Lions booked their place in Qatar with a comprehensive win, while Poland secured the play-off berth in the group.
A point against lowly San Marino would have sufficed following England’s big win over Albania a few days earlier, but head coach Gareth Southgate decided to leave nothing to chance for the Three Lions’ final FIFA World Cup qualifier.
Kane was chosen to lead the line for England, flanked by Phil Foden and Emile Smith-Rowe, the latter making his competitive debut for the senior side along with Arsenal teammate Aaron Ramsdale.
Centre-back Harry Maguire towered above his marker from a corner in the sixth minute to give England the lead. The Three Lions were two-nil up by the fifteenth minute, Bukayo Saka’s shot taking a couple of deflections, the final one from Filippo Fabbri wrong-footing the goalkeeper. From then on until the end of the first half, it was the Kane show, as the Tottenham Hotspur star hit the back of the net four times – twice from the penalty spot – to make it 6-0 to England.
With the qualification in the bag, Southgate made wholesale changes at the start of the second half. On came Tammy Abraham for Foden, Ben Chilwell for Maguire, and debutant Conor Gallagher for Kalvin Phillips. Within minutes of entering the pitch, Abraham set up Smith-Rowe for a debut goal with a deft flick.
Tyrone Mings scored in the 69th minute to make it 8-0 in favor of England with a looping header from a Trent Alexander-Arnold cross. Abraham got in on the act in the 78th minute with a superb finish; the AS Roma forward controlled a long pass with his thigh before turning his marker and slotting the ball into the far corner. Saka ensured that the Three Lions finished in double figures seconds later, as he headed in a cross from close range.
England, with 15 goals scored in their last two games, finished six points ahead of second-placed Poland to qualify for the World Cup. Poland, meanwhile, will have to navigate the play-offs in March.
