England-Italy 3-1, goal from Scamacca, brace from Kane and Rashford

How much is Italy worth? Spalletti was looking for the answer at Wembley and he got it: England are not worth it. With a 3-1 comeback after Gianluca Scamacca’s opening goal, Southgate’s team deservedly secured the pass for the European Championship. The Azzurri tried to prove themselves worthy of one of the powers of world football, more with heart than with talent, but in the end the difference with their champion opponents came to the fore. Like Jude Bellingham, who may not have been extraterrestrial like when he bewitched Napoli with his Real but played as a leader and made the magic that led to the first two goals. Like Harry Kane, who opened the comeback from a penalty half an hour into the first half and closed it with a great counterattack half an hour into the second half, reaching 61 goals for England and 24 at Wembley, a new record. Italy did encouraging things, especially in the first half when after the goal they sent their opponents into confusion, but to understand if the European Championship is worth it we will have to wait until the next break: the Azzurri now have three points in the standings to overtake Ukraine (who have one more match and won in Malta) and will have to beat them in the direct clash on November 20th in Leverkusen.

THE KEYS

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Scamacca’s first goal for the national team, the personality of Destiny Udogie who kept Phil Foden at bay for a long time (as he did in the Premier League against Bukayo Saka and Mo Salah) and some dangerous insertions from Davide Frattesi are the best things shown by the Blues. All in the first half, because in the second half England showed their class. It’s impossible to know how much the betting storm has affected Spalletti’s group in the last few days: Italy never completely got out of the match, but played a lot of throw-ins and were put behind in the second half. The main reason is that England has what Italy doesn’t have at the moment: champions. Bellingham made the difference by often playing more advanced than Kane, elusive in his central incursions such as the one that earned the equalizing penalty and propitiated the 2-1. Kane is one of the best centre-forwards around, someone who when he plays for England of which he is captain becomes even more special and scores with the consistency of a phenomenon. Southgate’s team is not perfect, but they confirmed themselves as stronger and got what they wanted: the pass to the European Championship in front of their fans, the confirmation that they have everything it takes to win the big matches

THE MATCH

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– England started strong but it was the Azzurri who struck first with Scamacca’s goal in the 15th minute, who collected Di Lorenzo’s cross from the right in the center of the area past Pickford. Scamacca almost concedes an encore in the 23rd minute but on the half hour the English equalizer arrives: Bellingham gets the penalty, speeding past Spalletti’s defense before being brought down by Di Lorenzo, Kane converts it, wrong-footing Donnarumma. We start again at 1-1, but in the 57th minute Rashford explodes Wembley with an unstoppable shot that ends a great counterattack started by Bellingham. Spalletti shortly afterwards removes Scamacca for Kean also inserting Bastoni and Dimarco and Italy takes on water. Kane punished it in the 76th minute, with the counterattack to make it 3-1 triggered by an error by Bastoni, which was then swept away by the English captain’s physique in an attempt to remedy the situation. This time Wembley closes with celebrations. And Spalletti is waiting for his response in a month, when everything will be played against Ukraine.