England qualify, Harry Kane stats, Cristiano Ronaldo most goals in qualifiers, Japan defeat Brazil, scores, results, latest news

Harry Kane scored twice as England secured qualification for the 2026 World Cup after a 5-0 thrashing of Latvia on Tuesday.

Anthony Gordon opened the scoring in Riga before Kane took his tally for club and country this season to 21 goals in 13 games.

An Andrejs Ciganiks own goal and Eberechi Eze’s strike rounded off the scoring as the Three Lions guaranteed top spot in Group K of UEFA qualifying with two games to spare.

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Thomas Tuchel has completed his first task with ease as his side became the first European nation to qualify.

England have won all six of their qualifiers since the German took charge, scoring 18 goals without conceding.

After a slow start to Tuchel’s reign with unconvincing victories over Albania and Andorra, plus a friendly defeat to Senegal in June, England have clicked into gear over the past two international breaks.

Tuchel’s decision to leave out fit-again Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden from his squad this month was questioned.

But the former Bayern Munich, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain boss has been rewarded for implementing continuity with his selection.

Gordon is one of those to benefit from a run of games on the left of a front three.

The Newcastle winger opened the floodgates when he cut inside to curl into the far corner for just his second England goal on 26 minutes.

Kane had uncharacteristically missed a glorious early chance when he steered a Gordon cross wide.

The Bayern Munich striker soon found his range with two goals in four minutes at the end of the first half to take his international tally to 76 in 110 caps.

Despite losing his balance, Kane steered a shot into the far corner off his weaker left foot to double England’s lead.

Kane then accepted the gift of a soft penalty award for holding of his shirt by Latvia captain Antonijs Cernomordijs.

England were able to coast through the second period despite five substitutions disrupting the visitors’ attacking flow.

The fourth goal was a self-inflicted blow by Lativa as the ball looped into his own net off Ciganiks after goalkeeper Krisjanis Zviedris failed to connect with Djed Spence’s cross.

Eze was one of those introduced after the break and the Arsenal playmaker rounded off the scoring with a fine run and finish on 86 minutes.

England have not failed to qualify for a World Cup since it was last in the USA back in 1994.

The hard work for Tuchel now starts in trying to deliver his adopted nation’s first major trophy since 1966.

Hard decisions lie ahead with Bellingham, Foden, Jack Grealish, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Cole Palmer among those not even in the travelling squad to Riga.

But England will travel across the Atlantic in June among the favourites to win a first ever World Cup on foreign soil.

RONALDO SETS NEW RECORD

Cristiano Ronaldo set a new record for World Cup qualifying goals but Hungary grabbed a late 2-2 draw to stop Portugal from reaching next summer’s tournament with two games to spare.

After Attila Szalai netted for the visitors, Ronaldo’s first-half brace put Roberto Martinez’s side on the verge of qualification for the 2026 World Cup.

However, Dominik Szoboszlai struck in stoppage time to make Portugal wait and boost his nation’s hopes of making it to the tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Martinez’s side top Group F with 10 points, five clear of Hungary. Portugal snatched a late victory from a five-goal thriller when the teams met in Hungary in September, as Marco Rossi’s side showed their steel.

Hoping to qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 1986, Hungary again proved a tough nut to crack.

They took an early lead through Szalai, when the tall defender headed home from Szoboszlai’s corner after eight minutes.

Ronaldo, still leading the line for his country at 40, soon levelled, tucking home after Nelson Semedo crossed for the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.

It was his 40th goal in World Cup qualifying, setting a new record ahead of retired Guatemala international Carlos Ruiz on 39.

Ronaldo, who missed a penalty against Ireland at the weekend, extended his tally before half-time with his 143rd international goal, also an all-time record.

The veteran was in the right place at the right time again to clinically finish off a cross from Nuno Mendes and give his team the edge in an end-to-end clash.

Hungary pushed for an equaliser in the second half and Szalai hit the crossbar with another header.

Martinez took off Ronaldo, who is hoping to play at a sixth World Cup, but Portugal could not keep hold of their lead.

Eventually Liverpool midfielder Szoboszlai found the leveller when he arrived at the back post to finish off Daniel Lukacs’s low cross which found its way through.

‘WILL PAY US MORE ATTENTION NOW’: JAPAN STUN BRAZIL

Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu told his players to celebrate their 3-2 friendly win over Brazil on Tuesday but warned it would paint a target on their backs at next year’s World Cup.

Japan claimed their first win over Brazil after roaring back in the second half to stun Carlo Ancelotti’s side in Tokyo.

Japan have never gone beyond the last 16 at a World Cup but Moriyasu has said they are aiming to lift the trophy in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

They beat Germany and Spain at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and Moriyasu said their victory over Brazil will have been felt around the world.

“I want the players to celebrate this result but strong teams will pay us more attention from now on,” he said.

“Beating top teams like Brazil in official competitions requires progress and caution and I want the players to build on the confidence they have got from today’s result.” Paulo Henrique and Gabriel Martinelli scored as Brazil turned on the style in the opening 45 minutes, four days after thrashing South Korea 5-0 in Seoul.

But Japan hit back after the break with goals from Takumi Minamino, Keito Nakamura and Ayase Ueda sending the crowd of almost 45,000 wild.

It was Japan’s first win over Brazil in 14 attempts.

“Beating Brazil can have a big impact on us going into the World Cup,” said Nakamura.

“We still have games to play in November and March and we want to keep this going.” It was Brazil’s second defeat since the Italian Ancelotti took over in May, following a 1-0 away loss to Bolivia in World Cup qualifying.

Ancelotti said his team needed better balance but vowed to continue experimenting with his line-up before the World Cup.

“We need to learn from the mistakes we made in the second half,” said Ancelotti. “I think the biggest problem was not having a good reaction to the first mistake.”

– ‘Not easy to beat Brazil’ –

Ancelotti shuffled his line-up from the team that hammered South Korea, dropping goalscorers Estevao and Rodrygo to the bench along with Manchester United’s Matheus Cunha.

Martinelli and Luiz Henrique came in to partner Vinicius Junior up front. Japan were missing several injured regulars including Brighton winger Kaoru Mitoma and Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo.

Brazil opened the scoring when a slick passing move sent Paulo Henrique clear and the Vasco da Gama defender finished in style.

Martinelli made it two just minutes later when he smashed the ball past goalkeeper Zion Suzuki after Lucas Paqueta had found him with a clever chipped pass.

Japan pulled one back seven minutes into the second half when Minamino pounced on a loose ball by Fabricio Bruno and blasted it past Hugo Souza.

“That goal was the start of our comeback and it’s great that it led to the win,” said Minamino.

The hosts grabbed an equaliser when Nakamura turned in the ball at the back post, via a heavy deflection from the hapless Bruno.

Ueda then hit the crossbar before putting Japan in front a minute later with a bullet header.

Brazil tried to find a way back into the game but Japan dealt comfortably with their attacks and could have added to their own tally.

“It was a friendly but it’s not easy to beat Brazil,” said Moriyasu. “Our players worked hard and we are trying every day to improve the level of the team.

“The players work for the team and for the country and they showed that today.”

SOUTH AFRICA END 15-YEAR DROUGHT

South Africa defeated Rwanda 3-0 in Mbombela on Tuesday to win Group C and qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

Thalente Mbatha and Oswin Appollis scored in the first half with Evidence Makgopa sealing victory with a goal midway through the second period.

South Africa topped the table with 18 points, one more than Nigeria, who hammered third-placed Benin 4-0 in Uyo with Victor Osimhen claiming a hat-trick.

However, Nigeria could still make it to the World Cup as they will be among the four best-ranked African runners-up who compete in a mini-tournament in Morocco during November.

The winners of the play-offs, which involve single-match semi-finals and a final, advance to an inter-continental tournament in March with two World Cup places up for grabs.

It will be the fourth appearance by South Africa at the global showpiece. They qualified for the 1998 and 2002 tournaments and were automatic participants in 2010 as the host nation.

Belgium-born coach Hugo Broos was thrilled as he represented his country as a player at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico and wanted to coach a team at the tournament before retiring.

“We all knew that we could do it, we believed in ourselves. We are going to the World Cup and it is fantastic,” said the 73-year-old.

“In the last three years we changed players and every time it was the right choice. What happened tonight is the work of three years and the future looks very bright for South African football.

“We have the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco during December and then the World Cup. There are no words to express how I feel.” Winger Appollis was voted player of the match after scoring and creating the other goals as South Africa regained their scoring touch after failing to find the net in a draw with Zimbabwe last Friday.

– ‘Amazing feeling’ –

“What an amazing feeling for the group going to the World Cup. I am so happy for the boys,” he told reporters.

“I know we had a draw in our last game, but I knew that we would come here to Mbombela tonight and win.” Qualification was a huge relief for South Africa, who saw a five-point lead with four rounds remaining turn into a two-point deficit behind Benin entering the final round.

South Africa dropped points in home draws with Nigeria and Zimbabwe and forfeited three points for fielding the ineligible Teboho Mokoena in a victory over Lesotho.

South Africa needed to beat Rwanda and hope Nigeria defeated Benin, and that is what transpired with the home teams making dream starts.

Nigeria were ahead within three minutes through Osimhen while Mbatha scored the first South African goal with just five minutes gone.

A snap shot from Appollis midway through the opening half put South Africa in control and Rwanda spent most of the match on the back foot.

Makgopa, a late call-up in place of injured Iqraam Rayners, headed into the net off a corner on 72 minutes to complete the scoring.

Osimhen netted a second time before half-time and completed his hat-trick six minutes into the second half. An added-time goal from Frank Onyeka completed the rout.

South Africa become the seventh African country to qualify for the expanded 48-team World Cup next year in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

They join Algeria, Cape Verde, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco and Tunisia, and the final two automatic qualifiers will be decided later Tuesday.

Group leaders Ivory Coast and Senegal need victories at home to Kenya and Mauritania respectively to qualify.

QATAR AND SAUDI ARABIA QUALIFY

Qatar and Saudi Arabia became the latest teams to book their spots at the 2026 World Cup, with each finishing top of their respective groups on Tuesday in the fourth round of Asian qualifying.

In Group A, Qatar saw off the United Arab Emirates 2-1 in their must-win clash in Doha, where second-half goals from captain Boualem Khoukhi and Pedro Miguel sealed the 2022 hosts’s place at next summer’s finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Then, later in Jeddah, the Saudis came through a goalless draw at home to Iraq to book a berth at the 2026 showpiece.

In qualifying on merit for a first World Cup, Qatar went some way to atoning for three years ago, when they entered the history books as the first hosts to lose all three group games.

Against the UAE on Tuesday, the winners of the past two Asian Cups took the lead four minutes into the second half at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium where Khoukhi headed home Akram Afif’s in-swinging free-kick.

On 74 minutes, the hosts doubled their lead, this time Pedro Miguel making the most of a mistake by UAE goalkeeper Khalid Essa to nod into the empty net.

Coached by former Spain, Real Madrid and West Ham boss Julen Lopetegui, Qatar had to survive Tarek Salman’s sending-off late on for a studs-up tackle, while the UAE were provided a lifeline from substitute Sultan Adil’s volley eight minutes into injury-time.

To their credit, though, Qatar held on to take their place at a first World Cup on foreign soil.

In Group B, Saudi Arabia made it through to a third successive finals by avoiding defeat to Iraq at their King Abdullah Sports City.

The 2034 hosts, who recorded a stunning victory against eventual winners Argentina at the 2022 World Cup, needed only a draw to seal a berth at a seventh showpiece event.

Herve Renard’s side could have had taken the lead two minutes into the second half, but Lens full-back Saud Abdulhamid sent his effort over the Iraq crossbar with the goal at his mercy.

Moments later, Al Ahli midfielder Saleh Abu Al Shamat forced a fine save from range from Jalal Hassan, while the Iraq goalkeeper soon thwarted both Saudi captain Salem Al Dawsari and namesake Nasser Al Dawsari.

It took a save from goalkeeper Nawaf Al Aqidi deep into injury-time to ignite celebrations among the 60,000-plus crowd in Jeddah, but Saudi had done it.

Iraq, last participants in 1986, remain in the hunt for the World Cup: next month, they contest a two-legged tie against the UAE, with the winner then going into an intercontinental playoff.