Leo Walta leads Finland to Nations League win as England thrash Croatia

Los Angeles FC midfielder Leo Walta delivered a standout performance for Finland on Saturday, scoring both goals in a 2-1 Nations League victory over Albania in group play. His display came on a busy European international slate headlined by England’s emphatic win away to Croatia.

Walta’s brace lifts Finland, England runs away in Rijeka

In Group C action, Finland relied on Walta’s finishing to overturn an early deficit. Albania struck first but lost goalkeeper Etrit Berisha to a red card in the 22nd minute, leaving the visitors down a player for more than an hour. Finland took advantage of the numerical edge, with the LAFC midfielder finding the net twice to secure three points and keep their Nations League campaign on track.

In League A, England produced a dominant 7-0 win over Croatia in Rijeka. Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka each found the target twice in a one-sided contest. Kane, a Ballon d’Or candidate, extended his national-team scoring record to 89 goals, while Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon and substitute Morgan Rogers added further strikes to complete the rout.

Gordon played a key role by setting up Bellingham before adding a goal of his own, and Rogers capped the scoring late on after controlling a pass from Bellingham. With the victory, Thomas Tuchel’s England side moved to six points from three matches, underlining their attacking depth and efficiency in the final third.

Tuchel praised his squad’s attacking rhythm and chance creation, noting how his players repeatedly exploited gaps in the Croatian back line. England continued to threaten after halftime on quick transitions, with one swift move down the right leading to Kane’s second goal as he slid in at the far post.

Croatia struggles continue, other Nations League results

For Croatia and head coach Slaven Bilić, the heavy loss followed a 4-1 defeat to Spain earlier in the week, leaving them with 12 goals conceded in three outings. Veteran Luka Modric started in Rijeka but could do little to stem England’s pressure as defensive errors piled up for the hosts.

Elsewhere, Real Sociedad forward Orri Óskarsson scored twice in Iceland’s 3-0 home win over Bulgaria. Belarus recorded a 4-0 victory against San Marino, and Estonia edged Luxembourg 1-0. The results rounded out a notable day in which an MLS player, Walta, made his mark on the international stage by driving Finland to a key Nations League win.