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England should have secured their first Nations League victory after Gareth Southgate\u2019s men dealt with the quirks of playing behind closed doors and had the best chances against Croatia.<\/p>\nEngland should have secured their first Nations League victory after Gareth Southgate\u2019s men dealt with the quirks of playing behind closed doors and had the best chances against Croatia.<\/p>\n
Just 93 days after they lost to Zlatko Dalic\u2019s men in the World Cup semi-finals, the countries met in surroundings that could scarcely have been more different to July\u2019s huge encounter at the packed Luzhniki.<\/p>\n
The virtually-empty Stadion HNK Rijeka hosted England\u2019s first-ever match behind closed doors as Croatia completed a ground ban imposed by UEFA for having a swastika on the pitch during a Euro 2016 qualifier against Italy.<\/p>\n
Eric Dier and Harry Kane hit the woodwork on a night when Marcus Rashford wasted two great chances, meaning the opportunity to exact World Cup revenge went begging as the Group A4 encounter ended 0-0 on a strange night for all involved.<\/p>\n
Every shout, kick and challenge was audible in the match played out in front of a few hundred officials and journalists. You could even hear the beeping of an ambulance reversing behind one of the goals.<\/p>\n
There were regular, distant cries from a small group of hardy England fans that had found a vantage point high above one of the stands, but those efforts were rewarded with a poor first half in which Dier hit the post late on.<\/p>\n
England improved after the break as Kane hit the woodwork before Rashford missed two fine chances, while Ante Rebic curled just wide for a Croatia side that had lost their Nations League opener 6-0 in Spain.<\/p>\n
Southgate\u2019s men face their own Spanish test on Monday without the suspended Jordan Henderson and John Stones, but there are certainly promising moments to build on.<\/p>\n
There was also a glimpse of the future as 18-year-old substitute Jadon Sancho became the first player born this millennium to play for the senior side, while 21-year-old Ben Chilwell impressed.<\/p>\n
The Leicester left-back provided a fine cross 12 minutes into his first England start and Raheem Sterling would have tucked it away was it not for Josip Pivaric\u2019s intervention.<\/p>\n
There was precious little else of note in a largely drab half in Rijeka, where Croatia found the best way to stop England\u2019s rapid attackers was scything them down. That approach earned Mateo Kovacic and Dejan Lovren bookings.<\/p>\n
Henderson\u2019s own yellow card in the sixth minute rules him out of Monday\u2019s trip to Seville, where England will face another top-level midfield.<\/p>\n
Southgate will be buoyed heading there by the fact that Croatia did not get as much joy in that department as they did in Moscow.<\/p>\n
Ivan Perisic\u2019s blocked effort was the best they managed in the first half until overlapping Pivaric fired over a cross to Andrej Kramaric, with the former Leicester striker\u2019s mishit attempt stopped by Jordan Pickford.<\/p>\n
Southgate\u2019s men failed to force a save in the first period but came close to the opener just before half-time as Dier met Henderson\u2019s corner with a glancing header that hit the far post.<\/p>\n
Rashford tried his luck from distance and Perisic stung the palms of Pickford when play resumed, before England struck the woodwork again.<\/p>\n
Henderson swung in a free-kick from the right and Kane got away a header that beat goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic, only to come back off the crossbar.<\/p>\n
Penalty claims were rejected as Ross Barkley, making his first England appearance in 868 days, went down in the box \u2013 and Stones\u2019 frustration at that decision resulted in a foul that brought a booking and suspension.<\/p>\n
Southgate\u2019s side were now in the ascendancy and Rashford should have put them ahead. Two minutes after failing to greet a fine Kyle Walker cross with the finish it deserved from close range, he was put through by Sterling but somehow failed to beat Livakovic.<\/p>\n
Tin Jedvaj was perhaps fortunate to only see yellow for a late challenge on Dier, but Croatia had now settled and Kramaric had a chance before Rebic curled just wide from 20 yards.<\/p>\n
Kane saw an effort ruled out for offside and seemingly broke the net in the process, leading to a pause in play that saw England fans get a wave from Pickford.<\/p>\n
History boy Sancho showed flashes of excitement after his 78th-minute introduction, with his threatening late cross causing problems in a match that ended goalless.<\/p>\n