On Tuesday, Harry Kane scored twice as England defeated Italy 3-1 at Wembley to clinch their spot in Euro 2024. Meanwhile, Denmark outlasted San Marino 3-2 to maintain their qualification hopes.
In a rematch of the Euro 2020 final, which the Azzurri won at the same arena on penalties, Gareth Southgate's England served some form of retaliation against Italy.
Italy, under Luciano Spalletti, still has a lot of work to do if they want to avoid missing a significant event for the third time in their last four attempts to qualify.
With two games remaining, England finished first in Group C, three points ahead of second-placed Ukraine, which defeated Malta 3-1. Italy was third, nine points back.
Did you read this?
"Qualifying is never easy. Sometimes we are just expected to go to the big tournaments but we have seen in the past it is not as easy as it looks," Kane told Channel 4.
"We went 1-0 behind and stayed calm. We knew we could get the winner and we have done it."
The reigning world champions Italy face North Macedonia in their final game before facing Ukraine in Leverkusen for a critical championship encounter.
Tuesday's match between Italy and England got off to a good start, but in the 15th minute, Gianluca Scamacca scored his first goal for Italy by converting Giovanni Di Lorenzo's low cross.
.jpeg)
However, after the halfway point, the home team equalized when Kane converted a penalty after Jude Bellingham was brought down in the box.
Twelve minutes after the game's restart, England, which just needed a point to qualify, made up ground. Rampaging, Bellingham won the ball in midfield before finding Marcus Rashford, who cut inside and sent a shot past Gianluigi Donnarumma.
In the 77th minute, Kane scored his 61st goal for England by bursting past the Italian defense and putting the outcome beyond question.
- Denmark edge San Marino –
With a nervous 2-1 victory in San Marino to maintain second place in Group H, Denmark, who lost to England in the Euro semifinals two years ago, escaped an enormous shock.
If the Danes defeat Slovenia, the group's top team, next month, they will have qualified for their next encounter.
However, despite gaining the lead in the first half thanks to Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund, they had to battle against perennial losers San Marino.
Alessandro Golinucci pounced in the 61st minute to score San Marino's first goal in Euro qualifying in four years to equalize, punishing Denmark for their lack of offensive effort.
With 20 minutes remaining, San Marino's hearts were broken by Danish substitute Yussuf Poulsen, who headed a header into the far corner.
Except for a goalless draw with Estonia in 2014, San Marino has lost 83 of their 84 Euro qualifying matches.
Adam Gnezda Cerin of Panathinaikos scored the game-winning goal in Slovenia's 1-0 triumph over Northern Ireland in Belfast to keep his team in first place.
However, Slovenia still needs a victory in their next two games to guarantee a spot in the finals after Bakhtiyor Zainutdinov's stunning double-point play gave Kazakhstan a thrilling 2-1 victory in Finland.
In the last match between the two sides, which could be a winner-takes-all contest, the Kazakhs will go to Slovenia after hosting San Marino.
Despite coming back from two goals behind to tie 2-2 with Lithuania, Hungary squandered the opportunity to secure advancement from Group G.
-1715160562.jpg)
