In a spectacular showcase of football prowess, the reigning champions, Italy, delivered a resounding 4-0 victory over Malta in the Euro 2024 qualifying match on Saturday. Giacomo Bonaventura showcased his finesse by elegantly curling in his inaugural goal for the Italian team. Domenico Berardi joined the symphony of goals with a striking display of his own, doubling Italy’s lead in the picturesque city of Bari.
Berardi’s brilliance continued in the second half, securing his brace and solidifying Italy’s dominant performance. Davide Frattesi contributed to the grand spectacle, concluding an evening of sheer excellence for Luciano Spalletti’s side, who retained their hold on the second position in Group ‘C,’ setting the stage for an eagerly anticipated showdown with England next week.
Spalletti expressed his excitement for the forthcoming match, acknowledging its potential significance, stating, “That match is where we will truly assess our potential.”
Italy, possessing a game in hand, managed to close the gap to just three points behind England as they head to Wembley for their upcoming clash. Berardi, reminiscing about his heroic role in Italy’s Euro 2020 shootout final victory over England, expressed his emotions, saying, “It will undoubtedly be emotional; I have wonderful memories from that stadium. We will aim to replicate today’s performance, play our own game, and strive for victory.”
In a parallel narrative, Ukraine stood shoulder to shoulder with Italy, securing a 2-0 triumph over North Macedonia in the vibrant city of Prague. Georgiy Sudakov ignited Ukraine’s lead with a goal in the 30th minute, while substitute Oleksandr Karavaiev sealed the victory deep into stoppage time. Ukraine now prepares for their upcoming encounter with Malta next week.
Denmark, aiming to avenge their previous unexpected loss to Kazakhstan in March, succeeded with a 3-1 victory in Copenhagen. Robert Skov played a pivotal role, netting two crucial goals, with Jonas Wind setting the stage for the Danish triumph. Despite Kazakhstan’s brief resurgence with a goal from Yan Vorogovskiy, they now find themselves four points adrift in Group ‘H.’
Coach Kasper Hjulmand acknowledged the importance of the win, stating, “It was an extremely important home game, and we were forced to win. The pressure was there, and we got the victory we had to.”
Elsewhere, Slovenia displayed their football prowess as Benjamin Sesko’s remarkable brace powered them to a convincing 3-0 victory over Finland in Ljubljana. Sesko’s first goal came from the penalty spot, and the RB Leipzig forward added another with clinical precision, bringing his tally to eight goals in his last 11 international appearances. Defender Erik Janza contributed with a late third goal, propelling Slovenia to the top of the table, tied with Denmark on goal difference. A monumental clash between the two nations is scheduled in Copenhagen on November 17.
Slovenia now looks ahead to their next challenge, facing Northern Ireland, while Denmark is set to face San Marino, a team that has struggled in all but one of their 82 previous Euro qualifiers.
In other fixtures, Northern Ireland secured only their second win in seven outings by defeating San Marino 3-0. Hungary seized control of Group ‘G’ with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Serbia. Barnabas Varga’s initial goal for Hungary was met with a swift response by Serbia’s Strahinja Pavlovic. However, Roland Sallai sealed Hungary’s triumph with a breathtaking 25-yard volley.
Hungary now stands three points clear of Serbia and possesses a game in hand. The upcoming clash between Montenegro and Serbia in Belgrade is poised to be a pivotal fixture for both sides.
