PARIS: Classy England became the latest country to book a berth at next year’s European Championship after Tuesday’s round of qualifiers as Harry Kane scored twice in a 3-1 win over Italy at Wembley but Hungary’s hopes were held up by a draw away to Lithuania.

England and Hungary were the only teams with the opportunity on Tuesday to secure their places at the finals in Germany next June with Gareth Southgate’s side coming from behind to beat the European champions — exacting a measure of revenge in a repeat of the Euro 2020 final won at the same stadium by the Azzurri on penalties — and make sure of top spot in Group ‘C’.

Defeat for Luciano Spalletti’s Italy, who led through Gianluca Scamacca before England overtook them with two goals from their all-time record scorer Kane — the first a penalty — and one from Marcus Rashford, leaves the visitors in a precarious third place, three points behind Ukraine who won 3-1 in Malta.

Four-time world champions Italy host bogey team North Macedonia in their game in hand on Ukraine before taking on the war-hit nation in Leverkusen in a crucial final match.

England started brightly on Tuesday but were caught out in the 15th minute by a sweeping Italian move which ended with Scamacca tapping home his first international goal from Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s low cross.

But the home side levelled shortly after the half-hour mark as Kane planted a penalty into the corner after Jude Bellingham had been fouled in the box.

England only needed a point to qualify but completed the turnaround 12 minutes after the restart as the rampaging Bellingham won the ball in midfield before feeding Rashford, who cut inside and lashed a shot past Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Kane put the result beyond any doubt in the 77th minute, powering through the Italy defence and slotting home his 61st England goal.

“Qualifying is never easy. Sometimes we are just expected to go to the big tournaments but we have seen in the past it is not as easy as it looks,” Kane told Channel 4. “We went 1-0 behind and stayed calm. We knew we could get the winner and we have done it.”

Ukraine moved into second spot as they beat Malta away after Paul Mbong had put the hosts ahead in the 12th minute. An own goal and then a penalty had Ukraine ahead by halftime and they added a third near the end from Mykhailo Mudryk.

Hungary would have qualified had they won in Lithuania, who they had beaten five times in six previous meetings, but went two goals down in Kaunas before fighting back to draw 2-2.

Lithuania, who had won only one game in Group ‘G’, led at the break with goals from Fedor Cernych and Pijus Sirvys but Hungary fought back through captain Dominik Szobo­szlais 67th minute penalty and a Barnabas Varga header eight minutes from time.

Hungary pressed for a winner but must now wait until next month to claim a place at Euro 2024. They lead by one point after second-placed Serbia beat neighbours Montenegro 3-1 in Belgrade on the back of a double from Aleksandar Mitrovic.

DENMARK SURVIVE SAN MARINO SCARE

Denmark and Slovenia were both away winners in Group ‘H’ to move to the cusp of qualification.

Denmark, losing Euro semi-finalists to England two years ago, avoided an almighty shock with a nervy 2-1 win in San Marino to stay second.

The Danes could make sure of qualification in their next match with a win against group leaders Slovenia next month.

But they had to work hard against perennial losers San Marino, despite taking a first-half lead through Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund.

Denmark created very little and were made to pay as Alessandro Golinucci pounced to score San Marino’s first goal in Euro qualifying for four years to equalise in the 61st minute.

But Danish substitute Yussuf Poulsen broke San Marino hearts, steering a header into the far corner with 20 minutes to play.

San Marino have now lost 83 of their 84 Euro qualifiers — the sole exception a goalless draw with Estonia in 2014.

Panathinaikos midfielder Adam Gnezda Cerin kept Slovenia top as he netted the winner in a 1-0 victory over Northern Ireland in Belfast.

But Slovenia still need another win from their last two matches to clinch a place at the finals, after Bakhtiyor Zainutdinov’s late double snatched Kazakhstan a dramatic 2-1 win in Finland.

The Kazakhs, who next host San Marino, visit Slovenia in the two teams’ final game, which could prove a winner-takes-all affair.

France secured a convincing 4-1 victory over Scotland in a friendly in Lille, where the kickoff was delayed by 10 minutes to allow fans time to get safely into the ground, given the enhanced security measures in place.

Both teams had already secured their places in the Euro 2024 finals and Scotland led briefly with a goal by Billy Gilmour after 11 minutes, but Benjamin Pavard equalised five minutes later and scored a brace before halftime.

Kylian Mbappe converted a penalty for France just before the break, after Liam Cooper was penalised for a shirt tug on Olivier Giroud and Kingsley Coman completed the scoring when he netted a rebound in the 70th minute.

Published in Dawn, October 19th, 2023