Italy 1 – 2 England

Harry Kane turned England’s high scorer as Gareth Southgate’s aspect held on after Luke Shaw’s pink card to begin their Euro 2024 qualifying marketing campaign with a 2-1 win on the away in opposition to Group C rivals Italy.

Simply 103 days in the past, the England captain was heartbroken when he began within the World Cup quarter-final loss to France, however he confirmed glorious blood- chilly to ship Gianluigi Donnarumma the flawed means and double his aspect’s benefit simply earlier than half-time. -time in Naples.

His 54th objective for his nation takes him away from Wayne Rooney’s report on his 81st cap and helped England get off to an ideal begin of their bid to succeed in the ultimate in Germany subsequent summer time – albeit a battle again within the second half from the hosts and the 2 bookings of Shaw in fast succession for an especially nervous ultimate.

England – buoyed by an impressive show from 19-year-old Jude Bellingham – had taken management of the competition within the first half and brought the lead when Declan Rice (13) responded to criticism over his personal objective return bounding on a rebound from a blocked Kane’s shot.

Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s handball from a nook kick was then given as VAR suggested referee Srdjan Jovanovic to test the pitchside monitor, and after Kane’s conversion, Jack Grealish ought to have made it 3-0.

However on the stadium named after Napoli legend Diego Maradona, Argentina-born and bred Mateo Retegui deservedly marked his first Italian look with a blast previous Jordan Pickford (56) and as bookings slumped. had been accumulating for the guests – with referee Jovanovic cracking down on any suspicion of wasted time – Shaw obtained a second yellow card when tempers flared on each side following his foul on Retegui.

However England held on and on the ultimate whistle celebrated their hard-fought three factors. They hadn’t gained away in Italy since 1961 and the Azzurri hadn’t misplaced any of their final 40 Euro qualifiers, so Southgate’s fiftieth victory in cost was important and a welcome response to a marketing campaign of In the end unsatisfactory World Cup earlier than Christmas.

With the highest two from Group C routinely qualifying for Euro 2024, England are actually in a incredible place, stage with North Macedonia who beat Malta, with Ukraine attributable to play at Wembley on Sunday.

How England held on to beat Italy on Kane’s particular evening

Earlier than kick-off, tributes had been paid to Italy and Chelsea legend Gianluca Vialli, who died in January. Vialli was a part of Roberto Mancini’s squad when Italy beat England to win the Euros in the summertime of 2021, however since then the nationwide aspect have strayed from that stage. They didn’t qualify for the World Cup and had been poor within the first half on Thursday evening.

They began on the entrance foot, with Di Lorenzo taking a well-worked free-kick badly, however after that early warning England leveled with Bellingham organising a Bukayo Saka shot earlier than his personal drive was knocked down by Donnarumma. From the ensuing nook, England take the lead.

Saka’s deep set-piece revealed Kane and Rice had been the quickest to react when the captain’s shot ricocheted his means, changing his third worldwide objective by sending a left-footed strike into the bottom.

Kane nearly scored Bellingham with a cross drilled by means of the penalty space which was simply out of {the teenager}’s attain, whereas Kalvin Phillips nearly scored his shock begin with a objective from the sting of the field however fired his effort excellent subsequent door earlier than Retegui sees him. a uncommon Italian effort blocked by John Stones.

England had been annoyed by a number of the referee’s pleas at half-time, however referee Jovanovic was swayed of their favor when he checked the pitchside monitor and noticed the ball hit the arm of Di Lorenzo as he put a hand on Kane’s chest.

Kane’s penalty was emphatic and confirmed no indicators of the nervousness he should certainly be feeling given the enormity of the second and his expertise from 12 yards when he was final in an England shirt.

With Grealish squandering a wonderful likelihood so as to add a 3rd on the stroke of half-time, there appeared to be just one winner. However England did not begin within the second half in any respect and Retegui rightly pulled one off for the hosts when Harry Maguire’s unhealthy cross out was swiftly punished.

Maguire was booked for a foul within the lead-up to that objective and the yellow playing cards continued to be waved by Jovanovic, with Walker and Shaw dropping time. Moments later, Shaw shot Retegui lifeless. Each units of gamers had been livid, with England complaining that Maguire had been injured earlier within the transfer, however finally, after a minute and 10 seconds of deliberation, Jovanovic confirmed the pink card.

With the numerical benefit, Italy kicked the ball into the field however, shifting to 3 backs, England fended off no matter got here their technique to maintain on to an necessary and historic victory that might be remembered for the Kane’s record-breaking second.

Kane: That claims all of it, a magic second

Harry Kane chatting with Channel 4:

Breaking the report: “Which means all the pieces. I used to be so excited to place the England shirt again on and begin the Euro marketing campaign. In fact it needed to be a penalty! When the ball hit the online, there was a lot A giant thanks to the gamers, the workers, the followers, my spouse, everybody who helped me to succeed in this stage, it is a magical second.

On the penalty: “I do know what I can do. I practice, I work laborious. I selected my place and by chance I put it apart. It is an incredible evening of victory in Italy. To attain is particular.

“The World Cup was tough to complete, however we needed to get again to it. We predict we’re among the best groups in Europe and we now have to maintain knocking on the door. We’re getting nearer. To come back right here and obtain such a efficiency means we’re prepared for the following problem.”

Passing Wayne Rooney: “I used to be on the court docket when Wayne broke the report and I do know what it meant to him and the way proud I used to be. Once I introduced him with the boot to interrupt the report, he advised me that he would give it again to you someday. He’s a particular man and an English legend.

In photos: Kane breaks England report

Rooney’s response to Kane’s report objective

Southgate: An Unbelievable Achievement by Kane; We must always have buried the sport

England boss Gareth Southgate: “[Kane’s] the general efficiency was distinctive – he dominated the centre-backs. You possibly can see from the beginning that he was on it. Breaking the report the best way he did reveals the power of his character and mentality. I could not be happier for him and his household – they’re beautiful folks. He is a superb skilled.

“Breaking the report with an enormous chunk of his profession to go is an unimaginable achievement. The gamers gave him a glowing reception afterwards, it was in response to breaking the report and what he wanted to get better from. I can not bear in mind what he mentioned however I am certain it was on video as a result of all the pieces is filmed today and nothing stays at dwelling Everybody agreed it was a particular and historic second and he deserves all of the reward he will get.

“We confirmed two groups. We had nice management from the again within the first half and once we acquired previous their first line of strain we appeared harmful. We must always have buried the sport. It ought to have been 3-0 at half-time.

“Should you begin a second half like we did, you are going to be in hassle and we conceded a really unhealthy objective from a number of errors. Then the emotion of the evening adjustments if you kick thumbs as much as the group and the opposition. We then needed to cope with a drop to 10 however discovered a technique to be as compact as doable with the additional vitality to cope with that.

“On the finish of the day, we needed to work away from dwelling, which is massively necessary and it was an enormous outcome. However we might slightly have the primary half greater than the second.”

The place and when is Euro 2024?

Germany hosts the match which is able to happen from June 14 to July 14, 2024.

The format would be the similar as Euro 2020 the place the highest two from every of the six teams within the ultimate match will advance to the spherical of 16 together with the 4 greatest third-place finishers.

What do England have to qualify from Group C?

Group winners and runners-up advance on to the ultimate 24-team match.

The remaining three groups might be decided within the play-offs, with 12 groups chosen based mostly on their efficiency within the 2022/23 Nations League.

England’s Group C schedule…

England will play dwelling and away in opposition to Italy, Ukraine, North Macedonia and Malta in Group C. After tonight their fixture record is as follows:

• March 26, 2023 – England v Ukraine
• June 16, 2023 – Malta v England
• June 19, 2023 – England v North Macedonia
• September 9, 2023 – Ukraine v England
• October 17, 2023 – England v Italy
• November 17, 2023 – England v Malta
• November 20, 2023 – North Macedonia vs England

And after?

England host Ukraine of their subsequent European Championship qualifier at Wembley on Sunday; kick off at 5 p.m.

Italy are absent in Malta on the Ta’ Qali Nationwide Stadium on the identical day in Group C; kick off at 7:45 p.m.