NAPLES: Harry Kane surpassed England’s all-time goalscoring record with his 54th international goal in Thursday’s close 2-1 win over Italy, which opened his side’s Euro 24 qualifying campaign. left, thus getting a positive start.
Gareth Southgate’s side were already a goal ahead through Declan Rice when captain Kane stroked home a 44th-minute penalty to beat Wayne Rooney and help England to an easy Group C win over the European champions in Naples. gave
Matteo Retigui scored for the Italians 10 minutes after the break on the Argentinian-born striker’s debut for his new country, but despite late pressure and Luke Shaw being sent off with 10 minutes remaining, the Azzurri were again without a point. could take away Euro 2020 final.
Tottenham striker Kane tied with Rooney on 53 goals for his national team after missing a penalty in England’s World Cup quarter-final defeat by France in December.
However, they made no mistake from the spot this time at the Estadio Diego Armando Maradona when Giovanni Di Lorenzo was penalized for handball following a VAR check.
Southgate said on Wednesday that England needed to beat the big teams if they were to end their nearly six-decade major tournament drought and beating Italy for the first time since 1961 boded well for the rest of the qualifiers. Is.
It was a disappointing night for Italy as a poor first-half display allowed the Azzurri to win Euro 2020 at their own expense and hand England another bloody nose after crashing out of the top tier of the Nations League.
A spirited effort after the break in which they kept England to a minimum showed why Roberto Mancini’s side should be one of the two teams to qualify from a five-team group that includes Ukraine, North Macedonia and Malta is also included.
Vialli tribute
Thursday’s match was the first since the passing of Gianluca Vialli, and early tributes were paid to the former Sampdoria, Juventus and Chelsea forward who was a key part of Mancini’s staff.
Vialli, who died in January aged 58 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer, was Mancini’s best friend and long-time strike partner during his playing days at Sampdoria in the 1980s and 1990s.
Maradona’s big screen showed images of Vialli and Mancini celebrating their Euro win, while pitchside hoardings read “Ciao Luca”.
However, once the match got under way, it was England who were the more dangerous side, Bakayio-Saka notching the game’s first shot on target in the eighth minute after a brief initial flurry from the hosts.
Four minutes later Jude Bellingham stung the toes of Gianluigi Donnarumma with a powerful shot after excellent work from Jack Grealish and Harry Kane and the away side were ahead from the ensuing corner.
The ball fell to Kane whose shot was blocked but fell to Rice who whipped in the opener confidently.
England continued to push forward after going forward and Colin Phillips came close to doubling their lead with a low drive in the 32nd minute until De Lorenzo set up Kane to make history.
The game looked set to be a straightforward England win but Retegui pulled the hosts back with a superb low finish after being superbly found by Lorenzo Pellegrini.
And the 45,000 crowd roared on Italy when Shaw was sent off after two quick-fire yellow cards, the second for cutting down Retigo to stop a dangerous Italy attack.
However, Italy could not capitalize and England held on for a crucial win.
