Malta vs England LIVE: Result and reaction from Euro 2024 qualifier after Trent Alexander-Arnold nets stunner
Malta 0-4 England: Alexander-Arnold, Harry Kane, Callum Wilson and an own goal saw Gareth Southgate’s men cruise to an expected win
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Your support makes all the difference.England resume their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign on Friday night as they face Malta away from home with the plan of maintaining their winning start.
Gareth Southgate’s side defeated both of their most likely rivals for a top-two finish, Ukraine and Italy, in their opening two matches in this qualifying campaign while Malta have lost to Italy as well as North Macedonia - who the Three Lions will face next week.
This round of fixtures is quite forgiving for England, especially after such a long season, and Southgate will be expecting his side to take a big step closer to qualifying for the next summer’s finals in Germany.
The England boss will need to make some key decisions in terms of personnel, especially when it comes to his Manchester City stars who only ended their season last week. Eberechi Eze is in mind to make his debut and many of the squad’s fringe or inexperienced players could get the nod in a game England should dominate.
Relive all the action as England thump Malta:
GOAL! Malta 0-3 England (Kane, 31’)
31 mins: Kane curls a sidefooter straight down the middle and adds a third goal before half-time for the visitors. England are cruising now as Kane brings up his 50th international goal.
Penalty to England!
Malta 0-2 England
30 mins: Harry Kane gets to the ball ahead of Matthew Guillaumier when it’s played into the box and the Malta midfielder slides in to clean out the England captain.
Kane will have the chance to convert the spot kick too.
GOAL! Malta 0-2 England (Alexander-Arnold, 28’)
28 mins: Pick that one out!
A twist from James Maddison sees him carry the ball into space but his pass across to Harry Kane is poked away on the edge of the box.
The loose ball comes to Trent Alexander-Arnold who blasts one from outside the area and smokes his shot into the far bottom corner!
Malta 0-1 England
23 mins: There’s a conference between Kieran Trippier, James Maddison, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Luke Shaw over who’s going to take a free kick on the inside left side of Malta’s final third.
Alexander-Arnold drifts away as Maddison curls an effort towards goal. It’s a fairly tame shot though and lands straight in the hands of Henry Bonello.
Malta 0-1 England
20 mins: Luke Shaw, James Maddison and Jordan Henderson combine with some slick play on the left wing. Shaw brings it forward before Maddison holds it up and slips Henderson into space on the overlap.
Henderson’s cross into the box is poor though and Malta work it clear without too much trouble.
Malta 0-1 England
17 mins: England are trying to utilise those balls over the top as James Maddison flicks one over to try and pick out Harry Kane. The pass is slightly overhit though and bounces through to safety.
Malta 0-1 England
14 mins: Bukayo Saka has his first sight at goal after cutting inside of Cain Attard and blazing a shot over the crossbar. He didn’t catch the effort well and gives a rueful smile to his teammates who know he can do better.
Many of England’s forwards will be taking the same opportunities to shoot tonight.
Malta 0-1 England
11 mins: Things could get messy for Malta now. The longer the held out before conceding the first goal the more of a stake they would have held in the game.
England will be confident now and are going to push for more goals.
GOAL! Malta 0-1 England (Apap OG, 8’)
8 mins: There’s the opener. Trent Alexander-Arnold flicks a beaut of a pass over the top to play Bukayo Saka in behind the lines.
Saka carries it to the edge of the box and squares the ball towards Harry Kane. Kane has a tap-in so Ferdinando Apap sticks out a foot to deflect the ball and only manages to turn it into his own net.
Malta 0-0 England
6 mins: Trent Alexander-Arnold is playing in midfield tonight and gets his first chance to bomb down the wing. He weaves in and out between two Maltese defenders before lifting a cross into the middle and winning England’s first corner.
The set piece is floated into the box and comes to Jordan Henderson just inside the ‘D’. He slips a pass over to Harry Kane who shoots from a tight angle and forces Henry Bonello into a low save.
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