England player ratings vs Czechia: One star shines bright in a big win in Prague
England bounced back with a 2-0 win away to Czechia in the Nations League, and once again, one player really stood out.
After a tough start to the Nations League with a 3-2 loss to World Cup winners Spain at Wembley, England needed a win as they headed to Prague to take on Czechia.
The first half was a bit messy, especially after Pavel Sulc’s harsh challenge left Elliot Anderson lucky not to be hurt and meant Czechia played with 10 men. But even with the extra player, England struggled to find their rhythm and only scored early in the second half.
Once again, Anthony Gordon shone after his great game against Spain, opening the scoring with a great header from a perfect cross by Trent Alexander-Arnold, his La Liga rival. Later on, captain Harry Kane sealed the win with a calm finish from close range.
A few exciting players got some time on the field too — Rio Ngumoha, Morgan Gibbs-White, and Alex Scott all came on as substitutes.
Here’s a quick look at how the players did in England’s first win of the break, in the heart of Prague:
Trafford kept his second clean sheet in four games for England. He didn’t have much to do, but made an important save early on after a Chalobah mistake.
Alexander-Arnold was brilliant, giving a perfect assist for Gordon’s goal right away. Fans are already wondering why he wasn’t in the World Cup squad — the right-back spot might be his now.
Chalobah had a shaky start in his first competitive England start, almost costing a goal in the first five minutes. But he recovered well with some key blocks and helped keep the clean sheet.
Guehi was better than in the Spain game but still looks like he’s finding his best form.
Gordon linked up well with former Newcastle teammate Alexander-Arnold and came close to his second goal when his cross hit the woodwork.
Billing put in a strong physical performance in a rough game and bounced back well after the challenge that got Sulc sent off.
Rogers was one of England’s most creative players in the first half but had to be taken off at halftime after a clumsy tackle that annoyed the home crowd.
Besides Gordon, Rogers was one of England’s best attackers, hitting the post once and nearly scoring late on.
Anderson had some good moments but didn’t impact the goals and was replaced by Ngumoha just after the hour.
Gordon scored the opener with a fantastic header early in the second half, now having scored in three of his last four games. He’s really becoming a key player under Thomas Tuchel.
Kane gave a classic performance — quiet most of the game but ready to strike when a loose ball came his way, calmly scoring to secure the win before being subbed off.
Substitutes:
Ngumoha came on and looked lively, forcing a big save late in the match.
Gibbs-White made a promising debut, showing plenty of potential for the future.
Bellingham had a quiet game but did get a late shot on target.
Ngumoha showed why Liverpool and England fans are so excited about him, playing a key role in late attacks despite limited time.
Scott didn’t get much time to make a mark, but hopefully he’ll have more chances in the upcoming games.