England clinch World Cup spot with 5-0 win over Latvia

England secured qualification for next year's World Cup with a 5-0 win over Latvia in Riga on Thursday, becoming the first European nation to clinch a place in the tournament in North America. The victory completed a perfect qualifying run for the side under head coach Thomas Tuchel, who has overseen six wins from six group matches without conceding a goal.

Anthony Gordon opened the scoring before captain Harry Kane struck twice. A Maksims Tonisevs own goal and a late Eberechi Eze strike wrapped up the victory, which Tuchel described as a "top performance" and a special moment for the squad. Kane's two goals took his international tally to 76 in 110 appearances, extending his lead over the previous record holder by 21 goals.

The match also featured a public exchange between Tuchel and sections of England's traveling support. Earlier this month Tuchel had criticised the atmosphere at Wembley after a friendly win over Wales, saying he did not get energy back from the stands. In Riga, thousands of England supporters responded with chants directed at the manager including "Are we loud enough for you?" and "We'll sing when we want", along with other playful calls. Tuchel, who was...