Throwback: Croatia 1-4 England, 10 September, 2008 - Walcott Hat-Trick purges past pain
On 10 September 2008 at Maksimir in Zagreb, England beat Croatia 1-4 in a World Cup qualifier, sweet revenge for the side that had turfed them out of Euro 2008 qualifying, and a night so cold the hosts suffer a first competitive home defeat.
Theo Walcott starts ahead of Beckham on the right. Nineteen years old, first England goal still waiting, and within twenty-six minutes he has it: a clearance ricochets off Robert Kovac, and Walcott lashes into the bottom corner from inside the box.
After the break Kovac leads with an elbow and sees red. A midfielder is stretchered with a head wound. Six minutes later Walcott is teed up beautifully, and he smashes in a carbon-copy second. England are rampant, and a pull-back from the left lets the same striker open his body and slot a brilliant third. Mandzukic drives a consolation under the keeper after Srna breaks forward
England aren't done yet, Walcott is slipped in again, and he rolls under Pletikosa for the treble. Youngest hat-trick in an England shirt, first competitive three since Munich 2001.
It is ruthless, clinical, and thoroughly Capello: pin them back, punish the red, write folklore down the right flank. England leave Zagreb with two wins in five days and Group F looking suddenly simple.
The phrase "top bins" is all about the top corners of the goal, where the crossbar meets the posts. It describes a goal scored with precision, power, and accuracy right into the top corner - an unstoppable strike! It is synonymous with "finding the corner" or a "perfect" strike - e.g. "They've put that top bins" or "That is top bins!".
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