It was a game keenly-watched all over Europe, with Spain relying on a draw between the two teams to qualify. With this result they had to settle for second in the group.
Gareth Southgate made sweeping changes to the team that beat the USA last week. Harry Kane returned to the starting lineup, while Eric Dier and Fabian Delph were charged with keeping Luka Modric quiet in the midfield.
Indeed, the onus was on Modric to be the spark for his side. He was without his usual lieutenant, Ivan Rakitic, who has flown back to Barcelona with an injury.
The early signs were that Southgate had got his selection spot on. Delph was everywhere on the pitch, bringing the ball out of midfield and creating chances for the front men. However, England were not able to find the back of the net.
Kane and Sterling both missed fine chances, and with both having missed similar opportunities in the World Cup semi-final against Croatia only months ago, it was beginning to look like familiar disappointment for the ‘Three Lions’.
That feeling was compounded in the second half when, against the run of play, Andrej Kramaric sent two defenders to the floor and managed to squeeze and effort past Jordan Pickford in goal. The last touch came off Eric Dier, but that didn’t matter to Croatia. They were going through.
Southgate threw on his replacements in the form of Dele Alli, Jesse Lingard and young Jadon Sancho, and with 12 minutes to go they made the difference. Lingard tapped home following a scramble from a set piece, and the were scenes of jubilation all the way from London to Madrid.
Kane soon wiped the smiles of off Spanish faces. Another set piece was whipped into the box, and the Tottenham striker reacted quickest to poke an effort into the bottom corner. The roof came off Wembley.
England saw out the last five minutes the celebrations were immediate at the final whistle. The Nations League has provided European football with exactly the spark it needs in these international breaks. Gareth Southgate has done exactly the same with his national team.
18 November 2018