Italy vs England Highlights: Harry Kane becomes England's TOP SCORER, England CLAIM victory over Italy

Italy vs England Highlights: Euro Qualifiers Highlights: As England’s team opened their Euro 2024 qualification campaign by defeating defending champions Italy 2-1 in Group C, Harry Kane broke the all-time scoring record for England in international play. Declan Rice had given England the lead after 13 minutes when he converted a penalty shot past Gianluigi Donnarumma of Italy. This made it 2-0. The deficit was halved by rookie Mateo Retegui in the 56th minute as the hosts rallied, but England managed to hold on until the final horn. Follow UEFA Euro Qualifiers LIVE Updates on InsideSport.IN.

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Italy vs England Highlights: Harry Kane becomes England’s TOP SCORER, Declan Rice, Mateo Retegui on SCORESHEET, England CLAIM narrow victory over Italy – Check Highlights

With Grealish and Saka on the wings, Rice and Phillips are positioned behind Bellingham in midfield. Walker and Shaw take up the full-back positions, leaving Maguire and Stones in the centre of the defence. Unsurpringly, Kane leads the line. The only member of the starting XI for Italy from the Premier League is Jorginho, an Arsenal midfielder. The hosts’ bench includes Wilfried Gnonto of Leeds and Gianluca Scamacca and Emerson of West Ham.

👑 King Kane. An @England legend 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🙌

54 – Harry Kane
53 – Wayne Rooney
49 – Bobby Charlton
48 – Gary Lineker
44 – Jimmy Greaves
40 – Michael Owen #EURO2024 @HKane pic.twitter.com/PMzmvgBqIC

— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) March 23, 2023

As England’s men started their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign with a 2-1 victory over host nation Italy in Naples on Thursday, Harry Kane became the nation’s all-time highest scorer for men. In a rematch of the last European Championship final, which Italy won on penalties, England was by far the better team in the first half and went into the intermission with a 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Declan Rice and Harry Kane’s record-breaking penalty stroke.

Italy vs England Highlights: Harry Kane becomes England’s TOP SCORER, Declan Rice, Mateo Retegui on SCORESHEET, England CLAIM narrow victory over Italy – Check Highlights

But, Italy fought back in the second half and cut their deficit in half in the 56th minute when Mateo Retegui, an Argentinean, scored on his Azzurri debut after Harry Maguire gave the ball away. With 10 minutes left, Luke Shaw received a second yellow card and was consequently dismissed from the game, forcing England to defend the remaining minutes with 10 men.

But, Gareth Southgate’s team made enough plays to hold on and earn their first victory away from home against Italy since 1961. After the agony of losing to France in the World Cup quarterfinals in December when Kane missed a critical penalties, it turned out to be the ideal answer for England. As Giovanni Di Lorenzo was called for a handball in the 42nd minute, he made no mistakes this time and found the corner to bring his England total to 54, one more than Wayne Rooney.

Kane also played a role in England’s opening goal, which Rice scored after Rice’s effort was stopped, lulling the bulk of spectators at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona to stillness. Retegui’s low shot past Jordan Pickford in the second half made Italy, who have missed out on the last two World Cups, much more dangerous.