Italy vs England result, highlights as Harry Kane makes history in Euro 2024 qualifier

Harry Kane scored his 54th England goal to become his country’s all-time leading goalscorer as the Three Lions kicked off their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign with a 2-1 win over Italy.

It marked Gareth Southgate’s 50th win in charge and ensured England picked up their first victory in Italy since 1961 as goals from Declan Rice and Kane, who overtakes Wayne Rooney in the charts, saw off the threat from the hosts in the second half.

Things were made difficult in the final 15 minutes as Luke Shaw was sent off after picking up two yellow cards in 54 seconds, one for time wasting and the other for a late tackle.

Italy debutant Mateo Retegui had given Italy a fighting chance on 56 minutes after slotting past Jordan Pickford from inside the box and despite Roberto Mancini ringing the changes in the final stages, England stood tall at the back to escape Naples with a crucial three points.

The Three Lions are next in Group C action at home to Ukraine on Sunday, while Italy travel to Malta on the same day looking to get their first points on the board in their quest for a spot at next summer’s tournament in Germany.

The Sporting News was following the match live and providing live score updates, commentary below.

MORE: England’s top goalscorer of all-time after Harry Kane breaks record

Starting lineups

Italy starting XI (4-3-3): Donnarumma (GK) — Di Lorenzo, Acerbi, Toloi, Spinazzola — Barella (61′ Cristante), Jorginho (68′ Tonali), Verratti (88′ Scamacca), — Berardi (61′ Politano), Retegui, Pellegrini (68′ Gnonto)

England starting XI (4-3-3): Pickford (GK) — Walker, Stones, Maguire, Shaw —  Phillips, Rice, Bellingham (85′ James) — Saka (85′ Gallagher), Kane, Grealish (68′ Foden, (81′ Trippier))

Italy vs England final score

	1H	2H	Final
Italy	0	1	1
England	2	0	2

Goals:

ENG — Rice (13th min)

ENG — Kane (44th min)

ITA — Retegui (56th min)

Italy vs England live updates, highlights from Euro 2024 qualifier

FULL-TIME: Italy 1-2 England

England have done it! A brilliant first half from the Three Lions proved enough as Southgate gets his 50th win in charge and his 10-man side hold on to win in Italy. The perfect start to their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign.

90th min +2: Kane wins a free-kick after he’s fouled by Acerbi, who becomes the latest player to pick up a yellow.

90th min: Italy waste two corners. They’re running out of time and England are almost there. Five minutes added on.

88th min: Last roll of the dice as Scamacca is thrown on for Verratti.

85th min: More changes for England as James and Gallagher replace Saka and Bellingham.

84th min: Gnonto has been a real bright spark for Italy since coming on. He puts in a dangerous cross from the left but Pickford punches clear.

81st min: Southgate responds by bringing Trippier on for Foden, who has not long been on himself.

79th min: RED CARD! Shaw is dismissed.

There’s a few big tackles flying in now. Maguire is down in the middle of the pitch. Shaw then comes in late on a tackle and Italy want a yellow card just minutes after the left-back picked up one for time-wasting… and they get it! Shaw is off… two yellow cards in 54 seconds.

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75th min: Saka is working so hard defensively and after getting England out of trouble he’s shoved off the ball by Gnonto to win a free-kick. Stones is receiving instructions from Southgate on during a brief pause in play. 15 minutes for England to hold on it seems. Walker picks up a yellow card for time-wasting.

68th min: Changes for England too as Foden replaces Grealish.

Pellegrini and Jorginho are off for Gnonto and Tonali for Italy.

Italy still dominating play at the moment. England look a little passive and nervous for the first time in the match.

61st min: Double change Italy. Berardi and Barella depart as Politano and Cristante.

Jorginho is also booked for a late tackle. It’s loud in Naples right now.

56th min: GOAL! Italy 1-2 England

Retegui scores on his debut! Poor defending by England with Maguire lunging forward into a tackle on Barella and then the ball falling through to the Argentinian-born striker who takes a touch before slotting is past Pickford.

Maguire gets a yellow card for the foul on Barella in the build up.

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53rd min: Rice clatters into Kane and an Italian midfielder in the middle of the pitch and Italy’s players surround the referee calling for a second yellow card. Grealish picks up a yellow for trying to keep the Italians away.

51st min: Pellegrini receives a pass from a tight angle on the left but his shot from 10 yards is high and wide, Walker doing just about enough to put him off.

48th min: Kane defends a corner with his chest and it looks to have winded him but he’s soon back on his feet. A second corner is cleared by Pickford.

We’re back underway!

HALF-TIME: Italy 0-2 England

45th min + 1: England should be three up as Grealish misses a sitter! He arrives at the back post and the ball comes to him on the bounce but with an open goal he scuffs his shot. He can’t believe he’s missed it.

44th min: GOAL! Italy 0-2 England

History-maker Harry Kane! He buries the penalty into the bottom right and that’s goal 54 for England. He’s now his country’s record goalscorer, moving one clear of Wayne Rooney.

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40th min: England have a corner and Kane appeals for a penalty after the ball hits Di Lorenzo’s arm at the back post. It’s checked by VAR and the referee goes over to look at the monitor and awards it!

39th min: Of course, Italy now get into the box now, but Retegui’s shot is easily blocked.

36th min: Still no shots on target from Italy. Plenty of passes around the back and in the middle of the park but they’ve hardly been in the final third since the opening few minutes. Mancini will be having stern words at half-time if they’ve still not changed that stat by then.

32nd min: Jorginho loses the ball in a dangerous position and Phillips picks the ball up and shoots but his shot goes just wide of the left post. It had Donnarumma scrambling though.

30th min: Rice is furious after picking up a yellow card for a late foul. It’s a tad harsh and he argues it’s his first foul of the match. He’s been brilliant so far in winning the ball back for his team.

24th min: England are just slowing down the pace of the game a little right now, and inviting Italy to come forward. Maguire wins a free-kick off Retegui. The youngster is making his debut up front for Italy but has seen little of the ball so far.

17th min: England remain on the front foot. Shaw gets down the left and attempts to pick out Saka waiting in the middle but Donnarumma comes out to gather.

13th min: GOAL! Italy 0-1 England

Rice converts from close range from the resulting corner. Kane’s initial shot at the back post is blocked but the rebound falls to the West Ham man who smashes it past the goalkeeper. That’s silenced the home crowd.

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12th min: Bellginham puts his laces right through the ball with a powerful shot from the edge of the box with Italy’s defenders backing off and Donnarumma tips over.

8th min: Half a chance for Saka who picks up the ball on the edge of the box, beats a man, but then scuffs his shot and it’s an easy save for Donnarumma.

7th min: A lively start from the Italians so far who are picking the ball up in midfield and running at England’s backline. At the other end, Grealish carries the ball from the left into the middle and just as he’s about to shoot he gets pulled back but the referee says no free-kick.

3rd min: An early warning for England as Di Lorenzo is unmarked in the box from a free-kick but he fluffs his lines and his shot on the volley trickles wide of the post.

We’re underway!

3 mins from kickoff: National anthems done, not sure that’s the best England anthem ever sung but there you go. Italy’s anthem is a belter regardless of who sings it though. That will get the crowd pumped for this one. Kickoff moments away!

10 mins from kickoff: The atmosphere is building in Naples as we count down to kickoff. While Kane is also aiming to make history, Southgate could well be celebrating at full-time too if his side win.

The former Crystal Palace player would become only the third England boss to win 50 matches after Sir Alf Ramsey and Walter Winterbottom.

30 mins from kickoff: All eyes will be on Harry Kane tonight with the England forward chasing one more goal to become his country’s all-time leading goalscorer. He currently sits level on 53 with Wayne Rooney.

He leads the line tonight and scoring in the former home of Diego Maradona will be something special if he manages that feat tonight.

45 mins from kickoff: Well then, Southgate has made a big call with starting Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips. Having played just 344 minutes of football this season his inclusion in the squad was questioned by some. Gareth’s gone one step further and started him tonight.

He’ll be up against Premier League opposition with Arsenal’s Jorginho starting for the hosts.

60 mins from kickoff: The teams are in!

90 mins from kickoff: Will tonight finally be the night England end their shocking recent run of results against the Italians?

The Three Lions have failed to beat tonight’s opponents in the previous six meetings between the two countries, a run that goes back over a decade, including the Euro 2020 final defeat at Wembley.

Here’s a full rundown of the head-to-head meetings between the two sides.

120 mins from kickoff: Hello, and welcome to The Sporting News’ live coverage of England’s Euro 2024 qualifier against Italy. It feels like just the other day we were all watching Lionel Messi guide Argentina to World Cup glory and here we are again with the international fixtures back underway.

This time a place at Euro 2024 is up for grabs. Let’s get going!

Italy vs England lineups

Mancini has the majority of his key stars available for this fixture as he looks to make up for the shock of missing out on a place at the 2022 World Cup.

PSG duo Gianluigi Donnarumma and Marco Verratti will play a key role, although Federico Chiesa is a doubt due to tendinitis issues.

Italy starting XI (4-3-3): Donnarumma (GK) — Di Lorenzo, Acerbi, Toloi, Spinazzola — Barella, Jorginho, Verratti, — Berardi, Retegui, Pellegrini 

Subs: Falcone, Meret, Darmian, Gnonto, Scmacca, Pessina, Emerson, Scalvini, Cristante, Politano, Tonali, Romagnoli

Southgate has stayed loyal to the majority of his World Cup squad, with Harry Maguire keeping his place despite a lack of regular game time at Manchester United.

Marcus Rashford had been in line to start following a superb run of form in 2023, but he withdrew from the squad on Monday after being hurt in United’s FA Cup win over Fulham. Goalkeeper Nick Pope also pulled out of the squad, citing injury, with Fraser Forster added in his place, while Mason Mount will stay with Chelsea for treatment on a problem.

England starting XI (4-3-3): Pickford (GK) — Walker, Stones, Maguire, Shaw —  Phillips, Rice, Bellingham — Saka, Kane, Grealish

Subs: Ramsdale, Forster, Trippier, Henderson, Dier, Maddison, Chilwell, Guehi, Gallagher, Foden, Toney

MORE: English Premier League table 2022/23: Updated EPL standings

How to watch Italy vs England

This Euro 2024 qualifying match kicks off at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Thursday, March 23 at 8:45 p.m. local time.

Here’s how that time translates across some of the major territories:

	Date	Kickoff time
USA	Thu, Mar. 23	15:45 EDT
Canada	Thu, Mar. 23	15:45 EDT
UK	Thu, Mar. 23	19:45 GMT
Australia	Fri, Mar. 24	06:45 AEDT
India	Fri, Mar. 24	01:15 IST
Hong Kong	Fri, Mar. 24	03:45 HKT
Malaysia	Fri, Mar. 24	03:45 MYT
Singapore	Fri, Mar. 24	03:45 SGT
New Zealand	Fri, Mar. 24	08:45 NZDT

Italy vs England live stream, TV channel

Here’s how to watch all of the action from this match in some of the major territories:

	TV channel	Streaming
USA	Fox Sports 1	Fox Sports, Fubo, ViX+
Canada	—	DAZN
UK	Channel 4	All 4
Australia	—	Optus Sport
New Zealand	Sky Sport 7	beIN Sports Connect
India	Sony Ten 2	Jio TV, Sony LIV
Hong Kong	—	—
Malaysia	Astro Supersport	Astro Go, sooka
Singapore	Hub Sports 2	StarHub+

UK: This match will be broadcast/streamed live in the UK on Channel 4/All 4 as part of a new agreement.

USA: This match will be televised on Fox Sports 1 and streamed via Fox Sports. It is also available to stream via Fubo.

Canada: Euro 2024 qualifiers will be live streaming exclusively via DAZN.

Australia: Fans in Australia can stream every match live and on demand on Optus Sport.