England vs Italy H2H: Kane to add to memorable milestone?

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England vs Italy H2H – England host Italy at Wembley Stadium in a UEFA Euro 2024 qualifier on Tuesday night, knowing that a win would put Gareth Southgate’s team in the driving seat to qualify from from the group in first place.

Unlike against Australia, where we predicted the Three Lions manager to start with a second-string line-up, we expect him to go with his strongest XI this time.

England vs Italy H2H: The story so far

England have met Italy 31 times, with the Italians just edging it in terms of wins:

• England Wins: 9
• Draws: 11
• Italy Wins: 11

The teams first met in a friendly in 1933, which finished a 1-1 draw. There have been many iconic clashes since, including in the 1990 FIFA World Cup, where hosts Italy beat England 2-1 in the third-place play-off, and in 2021, where they met in the Eur0 2020 final, delayed because of COVID, with Italy winning 3-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in normal time.

Their most recent meeting was in the reverse fixture of the Euro 2024 qualifying group stage, as England won 2-1 in Italy, with Harry Kane’s goal ensuring that he became his country’s all-time record scorer.

History in the making

Kane’s goal against Italy was from the penalty spot, and no other player has scored more penalties than him (three) in qualifying so far. The Bayern Munich striker will be hoping for another chance from 12 yards when the Italians come to Wembley on Tuesday.

🥅 Harry Kane has scored more goals from the penalty spot (3) than any other player in #EURO2024 qualifying pic.twitter.com/eUXhJUUH1F

— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) October 16, 2023

England vs Italy H2H: Last five matches

England 1-1 Italy (2018)

England and Italy met in a friendly in 2018, a few months before the World Cup in Russia. Jamie Vardy gave the hosts the lead, but a late Lorenzo Insigne penalty ensured that the visitors came away with a draw.

Italy 1-1 England – 3-2 penalties (2021)

Italy beat England on penalties in the delayed Euro 2020 final after a 1-1 draw in normal time. Luke Shaw gave the Three Lions a very early lead in the second minute, before Leanardo Bonucci equalised after the hour mark.

England 0-0 Italy (2022)

In their first meeting after the final, England and Italy played out a 0-0 draw in the UEFA Nations League. Some players who do not often get a chance to play for the Three Lions, like James Ward-Prowse and Tammy Abraham, started for Southgate’s side.

Italy 1-0 England (2022)

In the reverse fixture in the Nations League, Italy beat England 1-0 thanks to a Giacomi Raspadori goal. Arsenal’s Jorginho and West Ham United’s Emerson were among the players to feature for the Italians.

Italy 1-2 England (2023)

England won 2-1 in Italy in March, as Kane became his country’s all-time record scorer. Declan Rice gave the visitors the lead in the first half, before Mateo Retegui grabbed a consolation for the hosts in the second, and Shaw was sent off for two bookable offences.

Iconic moment

Italy 0-0 England (4-2 pens) – 24 June 2012: Pirlo Panenka humiliates Hart

England faced Italy in the Euro 2012 quarter-finals, where after a 0-0 draw in normal time, the game went to penalties. Italy won the shootout, and one of the most iconic penalties ever taken was scored by Andrea Pirlo, who decided to Panenka it against Joe Hart.

The midfielder helped take his team all the way to the final, but they were demolished 4-0 by Euro holders at the time Spain.

Final Prediction

England only need a draw to qualify for Euro 2024, and at home, they will be extra motivated to get the points needed to ensure that happens. On the other hand, Italy are currently level on points with third-placed Ukraine in the group, and cannot afford too many slip-ups if they want to grab the second qualifying spot.

With their last five meetings featuring three draws in normal time, these two sides are fairly evenly matched on paper, and so another stalemate could be on the cards. Expect Kane to get on the scoresheet again, as he did when they last met in March.

We’re saying a 1-1 draw with Kane to score.

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