Italy started ambitiously in the sold-out Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, but the thread broke after the first setback. Declan Rice was successful with the margin after a corner kick (13th). Harry Kane’s shot had been blocked before that. Captain Kane made it 2-0 before the break (44th). The 29-year-old converted a penalty after VAR intervention into his 54th team goal in his 81st international match, making him the sole number one ahead of Wayne Rooney.
With nine European Championship finalists in the starting XI, the English initially presented themselves as a more solid team against an Italy in upheaval. Because Jack Grealish missed a “seater” to make it 3-0 in injury time in the first half, things got exciting again.
“Argentine” shortened for Italy
Debutant Mateo Retegui scored the connecting goal after a pass from Lorenzo Pellegrini (56th). The 23-year-old “Argentinian”, who had never played a competitive game on Italian soil before, was called up by Italy’s team boss Roberto Mancini in a completely unexpected way. A maternal grandfather from Sicily made the use of the Argentine top scorer possible in the first place.
The 2:1 brought the audience back – and suddenly England faltered. The finish belonged to the “Azzurri” and turned into a British defensive battle at the latest after Luke Shaw received a yellow-red card (80′). But it was not enough for the hosts to win a point. In the second Group C game, North Macedonia also defeated Malta 2-1 in Skopje.
Double pack for world record holder Ronaldo
In Group J, Portugal around Cristiano Ronaldo and Bosnia-Herzegovina started the qualification, which runs until November 21, with emphatic victories against Liechtenstein (4-0) and Iceland (3-0).
Portugal didn’t fall over on the debut of team boss Roberto Martinez, the mandatory win against Liechtenstein went entirely according to Ronaldo’s script. The 38-year-old first set a world record in Lisbon with his 197th appearance in the “Selecao” and expanded that for the most international goals to 120 with a brace (51st/penalty, 63rd). Joao Cancelo (8th) and Bernardo Silva (47th) scored the other goals against the outsider, who was temporarily looked after by Styrian Rene Pauritsch.
The Portuguese’s toughest group opponents are likely to be Bosnia-Herzegovina, who beat Iceland 3-0 in Zenica thanks in part to Salzburg’s Amar Dedic (63′) scoring their first international goal. Dedic worked the right flank, Sturm Graz legionnaire Jusuf Gazibegovic the left flank. Rade Krunic tied a brace (14th, 40th). Slovakia were held to a 0-0 draw by Luxembourg in Trnava.
Hojlund match winner for Denmark
Denmark started Group H with a 3-1 home win over Finland. Former Sturm attacker Rasmus Höjlund was the dominating man in Copenhagen with his first three goals for the senior team (21st, 82nd, 93rd). Slovenia were impressive 2-1 in Kazakhstan, while Northern Ireland won 2-0 in San Marino.
In addition to the already qualified host Germany, 20 other teams get the ticket via the regular qualification. The top two of each of the seven groups are qualified. The last three EM participants will be determined in March 2024 via play-off games.