The visitors never got out of second gear as they cruised towards next summer's tournament.
• Last Update: October 14, 2025 09:43:50 pm BST • 2 min read

England produced a dominant display in Riga to seal a 5-0 win over Latvia and confirm their place at the 2026 World Cup.
Thomas Tuchel’s side controlled the match from the first whistle, outclassing their hosts in every department and showcasing the ruthless edge that has defined their qualifying campaign.
The breakthrough came in the 26th minute when Anthony Gordon, who had been lively from the start, cut inside from the left and curled a low strike into the bottom corner for his second England goal.
Latvia’s brief attempts to counter were swiftly stifled, and the gulf in quality soon told again before half-time.
A loose pass out from the back allowed Bukayo Saka to find Harry Kane, who curled an effort beyond Zviedris from outside the area to double the lead.
Moments later, the Bayern Munich striker grabbed his second of the night, converting a penalty after Antonijs Cernomordijs had been penalised for tugging his shirt inside the box.
Leading 3-0 at the break, England never looked in danger. Latvia tried to hold the fort after the restart but were undone by another defensive lapse.
In the 58th minute, Djed Spence’s cross from the right caused chaos in the area, and substitute Maksims Tonisevs inadvertently turned the ball into his own net to make it 4-0.
Tuchel took the opportunity to make several changes around the hour mark, introducing Eberechi Eze, Jarrod Bowen, and Jordan Henderson to manage minutes and keep the tempo high.
Eze was rewarded four minutes from time when Bowen’s clever pass found him on the left. The Arsenal playmaker cut inside and curled into the bottom corner – his second international goal, both coming against Latvia.
Latvia’s best moment came late on through substitute Kristaps Grabovskis, but his shot was comfortably blocked by Dan Burn, who had replaced John Stones earlier in the half.
Kane, with 76 goals for his country, continues to chase records, while Gordon and Eze further enhanced their growing reputations on the international stage.
The result not only confirmed England’s qualification but also reaffirmed their credentials as serious contenders for next summer’s tournament in the United States.