England 2-0 Malta: Kane Scores Again in Euro 2024 Qualifying
After just eight minutes, England took the lead in their European Championship qualifying match against Malta. However, they were fortunate as Enrico Pepe unintentionally deflected Phil Foden’s cross into his own net. Despite their victory, England’s performance was lackluster and they struggled throughout the game. This was their final match at Wembley for the year. In the initial 45 minutes, Gareth Southgate’s team had very few positive moments, as they had fewer attempts on goal compared to their opponents. Surprisingly, it wasn’t until the 64th minute that either team managed to create a scoring opportunity. This occurred when Trent Alexander-Arnold’s bouncing shot was saved. Towards the end, England began to show more energy and determination, resulting in Harry Kane scoring from Bukayo Saka’s pass. However, their momentum was short-lived as Declan Rice’s superb strike was disallowed just over a minute later. Discussion point – England’s performance falls short and struggles to establish the rhythm
There is no denying that this was a subpar and frequently uninspiring display from the home team, who lacked energy throughout the entire match. Despite the expectation to dominate their opponents, they consistently failed to execute precise passes, largely due to a lack of urgency in their ball movement.
The audience’s reaction also spoke volumes about the level of enjoyment they derived from the game. In fact, during the second half, some fans resorted to creating paper airplanes, which were thrown onto the field with more enthusiasm than most of England’s offensive attempts. Phil Foden (England) stood out as the standout performer in the match. Although Malta’s defense put up a strong and resilient performance, it was Foden who posed the greatest challenges for them. He was responsible for creating the first goal by skillfully driving into the box and delivering a cross that deflected into the net. Unlike his teammates, Foden demonstrated a clear intention and determination in moving the ball, particularly on the wings. Overall, he can be satisfied with his impressive performance throughout the game. Clasificación de los jugadores
Inglaterra: Pickford con una calificación de 6; Trippier con una calificación de 6, Guehi con una calificación de 6, Maguire con una calificación de 6, Tomori con una calificación de 6; Alexander-Arnold con una calificación de 7, Henderson con una calificación de 6, Gallagher con una calificación de 6; Foden con una calificación de 7, Kane con una calificación de 6, Rashford con una calificación de 6. Suplentes: Walker con una calificación de 6, Saka con una calificación de 6, Rice con una calificación de 6, Palmer con una calificación de 6.
Malta: Bonello con una calificación de 6; Steve Borg con una calificación de 7, Pepe con una calificación de 6, Jean Borg con una calificación de 7; Joseph Mbong con una calificación de 7, Yankam con una calificación de 6, Guillaumier con una calificación de 6, Teuma con una calificación de 6, Camenzuli con una calificación de 6; Paul Mbong con una calificación de 6, Kemar Reid con una calificación de 6. Substitutes: Jones with a rating of 6, Kristensen also with a rating of 6, Zach Muskat with a rating of n/a, Nwoko with a rating of n/a, Attard with a rating of n/a.
Notable moments from the match:
In the 8th minute, a goal is scored! England takes the lead with a score of 1-0 against Malta, thanks to an own goal by Enrico Pepe. There was a stroke of luck involved in this one! Phil Foden makes a run into the penalty area and attempts to pass the ball back to Kane, but his cross accidentally hits Enrico Pepe and, despite Henry Bonello’s efforts, trickles into the back of the net. 29’ HARRY KANE RECEIVES A YELLOW CARD! Oh dear, the referee has made a huge mistake. The forward successfully evades the goalkeeper and is clearly fouled, yet he is penalized for simulation instead of being awarded a penalty.
64’ FINALLY, A SHOT THAT REACHES THE TARGET! Walker sends a pass ahead that is deflected away from Saka, but only to Alexander-Arnold. Just inside the penalty area, he manages to control a weak shot towards the goal, although it is easily saved. In the 75th minute, England scores their second goal against Malta through Harry Kane. Finally, we witness some swift and penetrating football that leads to a goal. The sequence of passes involved Alexander-Arnold, Walker, Foden, and Saka, with the latter delivering the ball to Kane, who effortlessly shoots into an unguarded net.
However, in the 76th minute, Rice’s goal is disallowed. Despite his exceptional curling shot from beyond the penalty area, Kane’s offside positioning and interference with play result in the goal being ruled out.