Late Winner Keeps England At 100%

Last updated : 31 March 2021 By Three Lions

Harry Maguire was the unlikely hero of England's victory against Poland on Wednesday evening, a 2-1 win maintaining a 100% start to qualifying for next year's World Cup.

After a slow start, with their opponents content to defend, England gradually found their feet and a darting run from Raheem Sterling drew a foul inside the penalty area and the chance for Harry Kane to open the scoring from the spot.

Against a visiting side without their star man, Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski, Gareth Southgate's men began to turn the screw and should have notched a second goal before half-time.

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Their failure to do so was a frustration that was compounded after the break when John Stones dallied on the ball and Moder was played in to level.

Poland enjoyed their best spell of the game in the minutes after the goal, causing the hosts more than one scare as England lost their way, Harry Kane reduced to roaming the pitch in search of the ball and little in the way of clear-cut chances being created.

After three matches in a week there may have been some tired legs and raised eyebrows at a lack of substitutions but a burst of energy from Mason Mount won a corner on 85 minutes from which Harry Maguire blasted home a Stones knock-down.

Questions may be raised about aspects of England's performance in the second-half but winning qualifiers is becoming an ingrained habit in this side and maximum points from their opening three games sees them nicely on the road to the 2022 World Cup.

Earlier in the afternoon there was disappointment for the Under 21s when a late Croatia goal at the European Championships sent England out at the group stage despite achieving their first win of the tournament.