England could seal their spot at Euro 2024 with a win over Italy today at Wembley in this crucial Group C qualifier.
Gareth Southgate's Three Lions currently hold a three-point lead over both Italy and Ukraine in the group, and a win this evening would mathematically ensure their spot in Germany next summer.
Today's game marks the first clash between these two nations at Wembley since the Euro 2020 final, which saw Italy win on penalties -- a heartbreak Southgate and his men will be desperate to atone for.
A historic major nation like Italy were just made look a minor inconvenience, as Gareth Southgate’s side almost toyed with them. They were just so much better, and have a knowledge of that personified in Jude Bellingham. Harry Kane got two and Marcus Rashford scored a brilliant goal to make it 2-1, but all of that seemed mere detail to the main event, which was the Real Madrid midfielder’s domination of the pitch and decoration of the play.
This England era has now been going on for at least six years, but it is possible that Bellingham’s emergence marks the beginning of something else. He has exactly the type of assurance that can turn fine challengers into elite champions. It is visible in everything he does, not least the outrageous touch for the Rashford goal that sent England to Germany for next summer.
England were again indebted to Kane's goalscoring heroics as he took his international tally to 61, but Jude Bellingham was the real star, winning the penalty for the equaliser then producing a sensational burst of pace to set up Rashford for the second.
Bryan Cristante, seeing the prodigy in full flight, opted for a nudge in the back. It proved a cunning tactic, conceding a free kick, but not incurring a booking. Poor Francesco Acerbi found himself stranded in no-man’s land, lobbed brilliantly by Bellingham as he sent Marcus Rashford away to score the goal that, along with Kane’s clincher, sealed England’s place in Euro 2024.
but England held out to win the game and start their Euro 2024 qualification campaign with all three points thanks to their first away win in Italy since 1961. This victory came despite a late red card for Manchester United defender Luke Shaw.
This was only Italy’s fourth ever home defeat in a European Championship qualifier and their first since losing 3-2 to Denmark in September 1999.
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