UEFA Nations League: England wins in Rijeka against Croatia with late Merino goal

Match summary

The decisive moment came in the closing phase: after an extended period of English pressure and deliveries into the penalty area, the substitute striker tucked the ball into the Croatian net. Shortly before the final whistle, Mikel Merino removed any lingering doubts with a quick counter and sealed the 2-0 final scoreline.

Late decision by Merino

Merino struck in the 89th minute, definitively ensuring that England extended their status as an unbeaten side. Overall, the reigning world and European champions have now gone 41 international matches without a defeat in regulation time.

The result strengthens England's position in the group and collects important points in the race to qualify for the Nations League finals. The side coached by Gareth Southgate did not deliver a dominant performance over the ninety minutes, but once again proved their ability to force victory even in tight matches.

British key players Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka and Anthony Gordon were in the starting lineup and formed the offensive backbone of the team for long stretches. Particularly down the flanks, the English repeatedly tried to push into dangerous areas.

England's key players

On the Croatian side, the goalkeeper and defensive unit prevented worse in the first half. As the game wore on, however, the English grew stronger and were rewarded in the end with the late goals. The defeat is a setback for Croatia in the battle for the upper table positions.

With the win in Rijeka, England underlines their role as a co-favorite for the Nations League title. The Three Lions have previously shown on multiple occasions that they can find a way to score even when a match has appeared stuck for a long time.

On the margins of the match, it became clear that the Nations League remains a platform for England to prepare for upcoming major tournaments. Coach Southgate is likely to be satisfied with the result, even though his team fell short of their own expectations over large parts of the game.