England 3-1 Italy
As European Championships qualifying performances and results go, England boss Gareth Southgate could hardly have asked for more.
A come from behind victory against the reigning European champions, a qualification double over the side that broke their hearts in the summer of 2021 and mission accomplished with two games to spare.
Yes, the real time to judge England and Southgate will be at a major tournament and yes, next summer’s spectacle in Germany may be his final chance to avoid being tagged as English football’s ‘nearly man’.
But if this qualifying campaign is anything to go by, he and his team can barely have done more.
These Euro 2024 qualifying highlights at Wembley, inspired by the prodigious talent that is Jude Bellingham, were a sight to behold and poke of real promise.
Highlights of the game
In this Euro 2020 Final re-run, Southgate made sweeping changes from the side that edged past Australia in last Friday’s friendly.
Midfielder Kalvin Phillips started, while captain Harry Kane returned as did Bellingham, Marcus Rashford and centre backs Harry Maguire and John Stones.
The SBOTOP European Championships qualifying betting odds backed the hosts who seemed better stocked to cover the absence of the likes of Reece James, Luke Shaw and Bukayo Saka – the latter out with a thigh injury.
By contrast, Italy had lost Federico Chiesa to injury, joining the likes of Ciro Immobile, Ivan Provedel and Mattia Zaccagni on the sidelines, and did not seem to have the depth to cover.
In addition, Newcastle United’s new recruit, Sandro Tonali, along with Nicolo Zaniolo, had withdrawn following recent gambling allegations.
Mansager Luciano Spalletti had planned to tap into the recent Premier League experience of that duo who were available to feature, although Spalletti defended the decision when he commented: ‘We cannot take two kids who are shaken up by what’s happened to play a match like this.’
He could have done with their know-how, in truth, even if they made a decent start, opening the scoring with their first real attack after 13 minutes.
After Declan Rice missed the ball, Italy sent Giovanni Di Lorenzo down the right and his cross was pulled-back, dummied, and fired home by one-time West Ham striker Gianluca Scamacca for his first international goal on the evening of his 13th cap.
It was the first goal England had conceded at home in 2023.
That advantage lasted until the half hour when Di Lorenzo went from creator to conceder as he slid in on Bellingham in the box and Kane sent goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma – one of the heroes of the Azzurri’s Euro 2020 triumph – the wrong way from the spot.
It was his 60th goal for his country and he was to get another before his evening was out.
Twelve minutes after the restart and they had the lead.
Again, Bellingham was key as he won possession and set them forward, finding the ruthless Rashford who showed great skill to cut inside and smash a low shot into the bottom corner.
Kane completed the fine comeback and a fine night for England when he collected a pass from substitute Marc Guehi and drove forward before firing beyond a helpless Donnarumma.
It is half a century since the late, great Bobby Moore gained the last of his 108 caps, ironically against Italy.
It is 12 years since Fabio Capello, who scored that game’s only goal in 1973, resigned as England manager.
He was at Wembley watching on.
The pain of 2021 has now been etched away; now for defeating the big boys in the latter stages of a major competition.
Key statistics
Kane has now moved one ahead of the great Bobby Charlton for goals at Wembley (243). He has also contributed to goals in his last six games in European Championship qualifiers (six goals, two assists).
Kane has been directly involved in 33 goals in his last 30 appearances for England (27 goals and six assists), including either scoring or assisting in each of his last 10 games for the Three Lions.
Bellingham has been directly involved in 16 goals in 13 appearances for club and country this term.
Before this evening, Italy had been unbeaten in five of the last six matches against England.
What’s next?
There’s still a few fixtures to play for both nations before the year is out.
England have qualifiers to come at home to Malta (Nov 17) and away to North Macedeonia three days later. On the same day, Italy host North Macedonia before facing Ukraine.
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