Gordon-inspired England seal much-needed win over Czech Republic

Match report as England recover from slow start to beat Czech Republic 2-0 in Prague to get Nations League campaign up and running, with second-half goals from Anthony Gordon and captain Harry Kane; Pavel Sulc sent off for hosts for first-half lunge on Elliot Anderson

Pavel Sulc's first-half red card helped England recover from a nervy start to register an Anthony Gordon-inspired 2-0 Nations League win over the Czech Republic in Prague.

While the Three Lions toiled in the early stages and nearly fell behind twice to presentable chances wasted by Sulc, Barcelona winger Gordon, supported by former team-mate Lewis Hall, was a threat throughout. He came close to teeing up an opener while the two sides were still 11 vs 11, but saw Morgan Rogers curl his low cross against the far post on the turn.

Even once Sulc had been dismissed by a VAR review for a studs-up challenge on the shin of Elliot Anderson, it took a reshuffle from Thomas Tuchel and the half-time arrival of Eberechi Eze for many of his team-mates to catch up following a particularly nervous and passive opening period from the Three Lions.

But once they did, it was Gordon who took full advantage less than two minutes after the restart to stoop and turn Trent Alexander-Arnold's typically inviting cross home, netting for the third competitive game in a row.

Hall nearly got his just deserts too when his dangerous low delivery was turned onto his own post by Wolves defender Ladislav Krejci with Rogers sniffing.

Coincidentally it would be a mix of Rogers and a deflection off Krejci which would tee-up Harry Kane, who else, to sweep home a second with their next attack to put the result beyond doubt and add his 87th international goal.

That gave Tuchel the confidence to give out two competitive bows to Alex Scott and Rio Ngumoha, both introduced shortly after.

Scott would come within inches of a debut goal while Rogers and Eze would both go close to adding to England's lead, but they would at least see out a comfortable and much-needed win to get their Nations League campaign off the ground.