England 5 Czech Republic 0: Sterling Hat-Trick Sees England Start European Championship Qualifiers at Wembley Stadium in Fine Style - Highlights. Comments. England Player Ratings.

Raheem Sterling Fires His First England Hat-Trick As The Czech Republic Are Crushed At Wembley!

By Marc Gingell

22nd March 2019

22-03 KO:19:45	Wembley Stadium	England	5	0	Czech Republic
	ATT: 82,575	Raheem Sterling 24′, 62′, 68′
	REF: A Soares Dias	Harry Kane 45+2′ pen
		Tomas Kalas 84′ og

Raheem Sterling – New Level

Raheem Sterling is only just 24 but he does seem to have been around for a long time. He made his senior debut for England on 14 November 2012 starting in a friendly away to Sweden. He’s now played 48 games and scored seven goals.

First England Goal

When England beat Lithuania 4-0 on March 27, 2015, Sterling scored his first England goal. A tap in from six yards. In that same game, Harry Kane made his debut as a substitute and scored with a header after a fine cross from Sterling.

But The Goals Didn’t Flow

After 45 England games, Sterling had scored two England goals. About one every 2,000 minutes. In his last three games, he’s managed five which works out at about one every 50 minutes. Goals are flowing now.

Czech Republic

Against the Czech Republic, Harry Kane found Jadon Sancho with a defence-splitting ball down the right after 24 minutes. Sancho crossed and Sterling tapped in from six yards. It’s a kind of trademark Sterling goal and very much like his first against Lithuania set up that day by Wayne Rooney.

On 62 minutes Sterling scored his second and his best of the three. With his back to goal, about 10 yards out, he spun and curled a delicious left-foot shot into the corner. This clearly showed the new Sterling playing at a much higher level.

Pattaya One. Raheem Sterling scores his second against the Czech Republic.

He completed his hat-trick with a shot from outside the box that took a deflection.

Kane On The Scoresheet

Just before half-time, after Sterling had been fouled, Kane scored from the spot and Tomas Kalas scored an own goal on 84 minutes that will give him nightmares.

Pattaya One. Harry Kane scores England’s second from the spot just before half-time.

England Player Ratings

Jordan Pickford – 7. Rarely tested but was well positioned to keep two Czech efforts out early in the second half.
Kyle Walker – 7. Had few problems defensively and provided a useful attacking outlet too, linking up effectively with Jadon Sancho on England’s right.
Harry Maguire – 7. A commanding presence in England’s backline. Had some nice moments striding out of from defence and also showed his range of passing with some accurate long-range distribution.
Michael Keane – 7. Complimented Maguire well at the heart of the England defence. Well-positioned throughout to limit the Czech to few chances.
Pattaya One. Michael Keane.
Ben Chilwell – 7. Another solid performance from the Leicester full-back, whose stock continues to rise in the England setup.
Pattaya One. Ben Chilwell.
Jordan Henderson – 7. Tidy performance from the Liverpool man. Kept things ticking over in midfield and also got forward well, sending one shot over from a Sancho cut-back.
Eric Dier – 6. On the end of a sore challenge from Tomas Soucek on 13 minutes from which he never recovered. Lasted just another four minutes before making way for Ross Barkley.
Jadon Sancho – 9. Another excellent performance on his first competitive start for England. Set up Raheem Sterling’s opener and also played a key role in the fifth goal, charging through Czech Republic’s midfield before finding Callum Hudson-Odoi
Pattaya One. Jadan Sancho. England’s top player with Sterling.
Dele Alli – 7. Should have got in on the act in the second half but was a valuable cog in the England attack, linking the midfield with the attacking flair up front.
Raheem Sterling – 9. England’s hat-trick hero. An outstanding performance which underlined his growing importance to Gareth Southgate’s side. Was a constant threat to the visitors, also winning the penalty for the second goal.
Harry Kane – 8. A tough ask to eclipse the form of Sterling and Sancho but captain Kane dispatched his penalty with a trademark finish and could have had more goals on another day.

Substitutes

Ross Barkley – 7. An early introduction for the injured Dier. Added to England’s attacking threat with some powerful runs and smart passing.
Declan Rice – 6. A 63rd-minute substitute, the West Ham midfielder was composed on the ball on his England debut, with 92 percent of his 25 passes reaching their target.
Callum Hudson-Odoi – 7. Picked up the baton after replacing Sterling with a sensational cameo on his England debut. Nearly capped the occasion with a goal of his own, though Tomas Kalas’ own goal was a worthy consolation.