England secured a top seeding at Euro 2024 with a hard-fought 2-0 home win against Group C’s Malta. This victory may not be memorable for an underwhelmed Wembley crowd as England’s performance was lackluster. Until the 75th minute, the only thing separating Gareth Southgate’s team from Malta was an early own goal by Enrico Pepe. Captain Harry Kane finally doubled England’s lead with his 62nd goal for his country after a good assist from Bukayo Saka, and shortly after Declan Rice had a goal ruled out for offside. There was little excitement in the game as England’s fringe players wasted the chance to impress Southgate. Despite already qualifying for next year’s finals in Germany, victory over Malta ensured that they will win Group C, regardless of what happens in North Macedonia on Monday.
Trent Alexander-Arnold receiving the keys to England’s midfield suggests one thingEngland defeat Malta in a Euro 2024 qualifier at Wembley78’ NO GOAL! – Rice’s goal is chalked off for offside (ENG 2-0 MLT)76’ GOAL! – Rice thunders a shot past the goalkeeper (ENG 3-0 MLT)75’ GOAL! – Kane finishes off a fine one-touch move (ENG 2-0 MLT)66’ SHOT! – Alexander-Arnold finds the target but doesn’t beat the goalkeeper (ENG 1-0 MLT)30’ YELLOW CARD! – Kane is booked for simulation after going down in the box (ENG 1-0 MLT)8’ GOAL! – Pepe’s own goal puts England ahead (ENG 1-0 MLT)1’ CLOSE! – Teuma curls a shot wide of the target for Malta (ENG 0-0 MLT)England 2 – 0 MaltaTrent Alexander-Arnold receiving the keys to England’s midfield suggests one thingFriday 17 November 2023 22:03, Jamie Braidwood
Trent Alexander-Arnold stood and surveyed. He saw the run from Marcus Rashford and the pass was a delight; cutting across the ball from right to left, it floated into the space. But what followed was like something out of a cartoon drawn specifically to show what England struggling to beat Malta at home would look like. As Rashford’s run into the box was stopped and Malta cleared, Alexander-Arnold controlled and drove forward in one movement. But it was too much: Alexander-Arnold crashed into Rashford. Wembley groaned. Rashford limped off. It was that kind of night. The paper aeroplanes quickly overtook England to lead: more had landed on the Wembley pitch than England had managed shots against the side ranked 171st in the world. Sailing down from high up in the stands, those folded pieces of A4 perhaps made for a more entertaining sight than Gareth Southgate’s side as they toiled and strugged and led only to Enrico Pepe’s eighth-minute own goal; not enough to please the masses. It took until the 74th minute for England to finally click. Alexander-Arnold surging through a challenge in midfield to play in Kyle Walker. Phil Foden cleverly finding Bukayo Saka with a slided pass, Harry Kane dropping into position to tuck away England’s second and final goal of the night with what was only their second shot on target. Soon enough, Declan Rice curled in a pleasing third, only for VAR to disallow it due to Kane being stood in an offside position. It was more frustration for Kane, who was booked for simulation after he was brought down by the Malta goalkeeper Henry Bonello in a dismal first half. Trent Alexander-Arnold receiving the keys to England’s midfield suggests one thing
England manager Gareth Southgate speaking to Channel 4: “It was a game when we didn’t start well and if you don’t start well it’s hard to pick the game up. “e got a goal out of nothing really. “But the quality on the ball is not normally at that level and it was a game where the players knew they could win at a canter and didn’t extend themselves. “These players have played so many games and have done so well for us so I am not going to hammer them for it. We weren’t where we [should be] but we got the win.”