Unmotivated England see off Malta as Harry Kane strikes in Euro 2024 qualifier

LONDON – England manager Gareth Southgate has criticised his players for a lacklustre performance, as captain Harry Kane scored his 62nd international goal to clinch an uninspired 2-0 home victory against minnows Malta in their Euro 2024 qualifier on Nov 17.

The Three Lions had already qualified for the European Championship with two games to spare, but they are bidding to secure a place among the top seeds in Germany by winning Group C in style.

Only the top five best-performing sides throughout qualifying will be top seeded in December’s Euro draw in Hamburg.

Leaders England have six wins and a draw in the group, after Enrico Pepe’s early own goal and Kane’s second-half strike settled a drab encounter at Wembley.

A victory in their final qualifier in North Macedonia on Nov 20 would achieve England’s top-seeding target, with a point possibly enough depending on other results.

Given Malta’s lowly 171st place in Fifa’s world rankings, this was by far England’s least impressive performance in a qualifying campaign that has otherwise been plain sailing, with Trent Alexander-Arnold one of few bright spots.

“If you don’t start games well, it’s very difficult to pick it up and we didn’t. We know that the level we have got should be better,” Southgate lamented.

“Not enough quality on the ball and not enough chances created. We didn’t hit the heights that we have this year.

“We have a lot of players that weren’t in there tonight. There are positives, but we were not where we want to be.”

It was hardly the ideal way to pay tribute to former Manchester United and England star Bobby Charlton, who died aged 86 in October.

Southgate was at the funeral in Manchester on Nov 13 and the 1966 World Cup winner was celebrated before kick-off against Malta.

In England’s first home game since Charlton’s death, a video montage was introduced by his sole-surviving World Cup final teammate Geoff Hurst, while a red-and-white mosaic in the stands read “Sir Bobby”.

Fans in the sell-out 80,000 crowd switched on their mobile phone torches, as the video played before the teams gathered in the centre circle for a period of applause.

In a sign of the England lethargy to come, Malta could have been ahead in the first minute when Teddy Teuma drove forward before firing just wide from the edge of the area.

Sparked into action by that narrow escape, England went in front after eight minutes.

Phil Foden raced into the area and his cross towards Kane was accidently diverted into his own net by Pepe.

However, that fortuitous breakthrough was not the trigger for the expected England goal spree, as Malta kept the hosts at bay for long periods.

It was the first time England had failed to record a shot on target in the first half of a home game since a friendly against Germany in 2017.

With bored supporters throwing paper aeroplanes onto the pitch to entertain themselves, Alexander-Arnold finally had England’s first shot on target in the 65th minute.

England at last doubled their lead in the 75th minute when a Bukayo Saka cross was coolly converted by Kane.

With the win, the Three Lions have 19 points, six more than Italy and Ukraine.

The Azzurri took a big step towards qualification after an eventful 5-2 win over North Macedonia.

Federico Chiesa struck twice in the first half after Matteo Darmian nodded the hosts into an early lead. Giacomo Raspadori and Stephan El Shaarawy secured the three points late on, though second-half strikes from Jani Atanasov threatened a tense night for the Italians.

Luciano Spalletti’s team need only a draw against third-placed Ukraine in Leverkusen on Nov 20 to book a place in next summer’s tournament.

“We conceded goals that I don’t think we deserved to concede, but the important thing is that we won,” said Chiesa.

“We are more positive under Spalletti, and that means we take a few more risks in defence. We showed that we wanted to dominate the play and we deserved to win.” AFP, REUTERS