Why England’s resilient win over Italy was so significant

Harry Kane became England’s record scorer with his 54th international goal, securing a first victory in Italy since 1961 and England’s first qualifying win away to a major nation since Germany in 2001. Bellingham’s stunning long strike brought a corner from which Declan Rice opened the scoring, and Kane convert a 41st-minute penalty for the second goal. The period between the fifth and 45th minute was a perfect display by the English team, especially the brilliance of Jude Bellingham, who seemed to have only gone to another level since the World Cup.

Italy belatedly displayed why they had the momentum and began to exploit weaknesses, especially at centre-half, forcing England into defiant blocks in the moments when they weren’t opening Jordan Pickford’s defence with one-twos. Italy was repeatedly looking to play quick exchanges around Harry Maguire, and it was a similar move that brought Mateo Retegui’s fine goal. England were so stretched that Luke Shaw was forced into two bookable offences in the space of 54 seconds, and Phil Foden had to go off just 12 minutes after coming on for tactical reasons.

Gareth Southgate’s side had to find different qualities, but that was made a statement for Euro 2024 in itself. It was not the match for the faint-hearted, though, as even Southgate had a sigh of relief when England won. They all looked relieved at the end, as Italy seemed so deflated. Kane has quickly broken the record in 39 fewer caps than Wayne Rooney, with many admiring his natural ability to score goals.

The result illustrates that England has a long way to go, though, and it is worth reflecting on how proactive Roberto Mancini can be. Through that, it could be how Euro 2020 could have gone, leaving Southgate facing centre-half issues. Southgate must try to recapture how commanding England were in the first half, which would be hard to imagine for the Italian manager. After displaying worse than North Macedonia during the first half, Italy came out transformed to become the side suddenly controlling play. Substitutes Wilfried Gnonto was everywhere, and England, and their centre-halves, were resilient.

In conclusion, England has shown enormous strength, resilience, and prowess in the game, showcasing their best strengths throughout. However, the second half exposed several weaknesses, which could be detrimental in future matches. With the dearth of top centre-halves, Southgate must address his team’s defence urgently. Despite the long way to go, the match was a statement of intent for Euro 2024, where England would be eager to come out tops.



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