A look ahead to an intriguing Nations League clash between Croatia and England

[embed guid="0ff2af5e-8e43-4892-b387-a5c45d0cd40b" url="https://x.com/atptour/status/2106048095977107879" social-type="twitter" /][p]This will be a game with a difference too, as the match will be played behind closed doors.[/p][p]It's as a result of crowd disturbances at a Nations League match against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/france/QkGeVG1n/"]France[/a] in March 2025, which included setting off fireworks.[/p][p]If [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/england/j9N9ZNFA/"]England[/a] were thinking that such a scenario would play right into their hands, they should think again, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/croatia/K8aznggo/"]Croatia[/a] were also prohibited from having travelling supporters in the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/czech-republic/6LHwBDGU/"]Czech Republic[/a] last Saturday, but they still came away with a 2-1 victory.[/p][h2]Recent head-to-head record favours England[/h2][image alt="Croatia v England - Recent head-to-head results" id="69cd644d-af30-4b28-bddd-153a494a7774" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="900efb34-b348-48df-a671-ceada3eae9ce" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]The recent head-to-head record does favour the Three Lions, as they've won all of the last three fixtures, and in three separate competitions.[/p][p]Earlier this summer, they downed the Vatreni 4-2 in the World Cup, having also beaten them 1-0 in the European Championship in June 2021, and 2-1 in the Nations League back in November 2018.[/p][p]Indeed, aside from being beaten in the World Cup semi-finals by Croatia, England have remained unbeaten in all four matches since.[/p][p]Furthermore, five of the last seven head-to-heads have gone the way of the Three Lions, and in three of those victories, England have scored at least four goals. [/p][h2]Three Lions could equal another record[/h2][p]In terms of current form, both sides have won three and lost two of their last five games in all competitions, but with an ageing squad, the hosts could find it tough against Thomas Tuchel's vibrant attacking outfit.[/p][image alt="Croatia v England - Win probability" id="587a07f0-83b5-4868-b321-42d298e3dd72" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="c2852eef-b9b1-4c9d-8d77-07b9d60bab7b" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]England's last game against the Czech Republic saw them end with a 2-0 win, their eighth straight away win in all competitions. [/p][p]If they were to make it nine on Saturday, they would equal the record set by Sir Alf Ramsey's Three Lions squad between December 1965 and October 1967.[/p][p]That victory was also a sixth in their last eight Nations League matches, during which time England have scored 20 goals. To give some context to that run, it's more wins and goals than they'd managed in their first 18 games in the competition (W5 D6 L7, 18 goals).[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/croatia-K8aznggo/england-j9N9ZNFA/?mid=p8cVmcQ9"]Follow Croatia vs England with Flashscore![/a][/b][/p][h2]Kane looking to extend goalscoring spree[/h2][embed guid="6ae5ea1f-673a-461a-b216-ec5bda762451" url="https://x.com/England/status/2105592189908869327" social-type="twitter" /][p]Kane will undoubtedly be looking to extend his goalscoring tally for his country, which currently stands at a record-breaking 87 from 123 appearances. [/p][p]Having scored in his last five away games for the national team, should the striker find the net again, he will become only the fourth player in England's history to do so in six consecutive away matches, following James Windridge (six from March to June 1908), Tom Finney (seven from September 1946 to May 1948) and Stan Mortensen (six from May 1947 to October 1948).[/p][p]Kane is also already the outfield player with the most caps for his country, overtaking [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rooney-wayne/WfXv1DCa/"]Wayne Rooney[/a] (120), and after playing against Croatia, he will then be just one cap away from equalling [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/shilton-peter/lr7B4o38/"]Peter Shilton[/a]'s all-time record of 125 caps.[/p][h2]Bilic masterminding Croatian rebirth[/h2][p]English football will know all about new Croatia coach Slaven Bilic, both from a playing and managerial perspective in the country, and also from a punditry point of view.[/p][p]Bilic is one of the game's brightest minds and will look to take his side back to the top table of European and world football.[/p][p]After guiding his side to victory over the Czech Republic in his first game in charge, a 4-1 loss to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/spain/bLyo6mco/"]Spain[/a] brought into sharp focus exactly where the Croatians are short.[/p][embed guid="e4395e35-8c57-4e58-96af-24c700cf6970" url="https://x.com/HNSfamily/status/2105057168353300770" social-type="twitter" /][p]Should they lose again on Saturday, it will be the first time they've lost six matches in the same calendar year, and that's clearly something that Bilic and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/modric-luka/bZWyoJnA/"]Luka Modric[/a] et al will want to avoid.[/p][p]They will have to be braver in front of goal than they were against the Spanish if they do want to have a chance of avoiding defeat, however.[/p][p]Croatia had just five shots in the match (Spain had 16), and their xG was a poor 0.47. Only against France in March 2025 (0.18), Sweden in November 2020 (0.3) and England in October 2018 (0.42) have they registered a lower xG.[/p][p]England should be on their guard in any event, as Croatia have still won eight of their last nine competitive home matches (D1), and only lost four of their last 41 home games.[/p][p]Three defeats have come in the Nations League, however, against France and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/portugal/WvJrjFVN/"]Portugal[/a] in 2020 and Austria in 2022.[/p][infobox id="8a8311c3-81b3-440e-8b49-36091db073d1" /]