England Thrashes San Marino, Secures Playoff Spot in World Cup QualifiersEngland Thrashes San Marino, Secures Playoff Spot in World Cup Qualifiers England’s dominant display against San Marino on Monday evening saw them crush their opponents 10-0, securing their place in the playoffs for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The Three Lions took the lead within five minutes, with Filippo Fabbri’s own goal handing them an early advantage. Harry Kane doubled their lead from the penalty spot before Conor Gallagher and Harry Maguire made it 4-0 before halftime. The second half was equally one-sided, with Tammy Abraham netting a hat-trick and Bukayo Saka, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and Raheem Sterling also getting on the scoresheet. The result sees England finish top of Group I with 26 points from 10 games, guaranteeing them a place in the playoffs. They will now face one of the 10 second-placed teams from the other European qualifying groups over two legs in March 2022. Manager Gareth Southgate was delighted with his team’s performance. “We were clinical in front of goal today and our overall play was very good,” he said. “We showed our quality and we can be confident going into the playoffs.” Harry Kane, who captained the team on the night, said: “It was a great performance from everyone. We were ruthless in the final third and we created a lot of chances. We’re now looking forward to the playoffs and hopefully we can book our place in Qatar.” England’s victory was their biggest ever win in a World Cup qualifier, eclipsing their 9-0 triumph over Luxembourg in 1982. It also saw them become the first European team to score 10 goals in a competitive international fixture since Spain in 2011. The Three Lions will now turn their attention to the playoffs, where they will be hoping to secure their place in the World Cup for the sixth consecutive time.
