WEMBLEY — Was this the moment England learned to love themselves, to believe they are good enough to take down any foe? As the chorus of disquiet around Italy reminds us, this is not a vintage ensemble, nevertheless there remains enough inherited hauteur in Azzurri blue to expose any possessed of doubt.
Italy met none despite taking the lead. What they did encounter was an England team recast in the image of the remarkable Jude Bellingham, who like all the best players makes those around him believe they too are capable of great things.
And so Wembley was treated to the sight of Marcus Rashford exploding into something like his old self with a sumptuous strike and the imperious Harry Kane brushing off the desperate attempts of a lunging defender to smash England three to the good. The whirling Kane celebration seemed to be pointing England towards the sunlit uplands of German fields next summer, where all this newfound power might prove invincible when it matters.
Despite the epochal downturn into which Italy are plunged they are still Italy. That was clear enough in the opening period when, tapping into a historic mien threading all the way back to Julius Caesar, Italy refused to kneel. It is this elusive mental power that England have so lacked in their striving to add a second major trophy to their meagre display.
Though Italy have failed to qualify for successive World Cups they summoned enough of their storied past to rub out England at Wembley two summers past. That same Italian swagger was again much in evidence early in this match irrespective of the portents.
Beset by a betting scandal that could yet escalate, Italy were downgraded by observers still reeling from the training ground tap on the shoulder by the Italian police questioning Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali and Aston Villa’s Nicolo Zaniolo. Luciano Spalletti, the architect of Napoli’s first Scudetto in 33 years last season, had clearly not been reading the papers nor the room.
This was a far more vibrant start from the Azzurri than that of 2021, when Italy fell behind in the opening minutes of the European Championship final. Not only did they score first but it was the capacity of Italy to believe themselves the equal if not better than the much-vaunted English opponent that impressed.
However, England have grown plenty since that devastating loss on penalties, not least because of the emergence of the outstanding Bellingham, who epitomises the indomitable sense of high personal worth central to any winning unit.
It was his driving run that earned the penalty that gave Kane his 60th international goal and his pass that sent Rashford tearing through the Italian defence.
The result both confirmed England’s place in next summer’s tournament and their standing among the favourites. It is how they deal with that lofty station that will decide their fate. They showed against Italy the character, personality and desire to express themselves in a way they could not when last these two nations met at Wembley.
The fun ended with a chorus of Sweet Caroline; touching hands, reaching out, the good times never seemed so good. We could leave it there but that was not possible on a night that jarred the soul as the teams lined up.
A moment’s silence for the two Swedish victims of Monday’s shootings in Belgium. Tick. And for the 1,300 Israeli citizens cut down by the murderous Hamas fringe. Tick. Yet not a moment’s reflection accorded almost 3,000 Palestinians dead in a tragic conflict without end. Apparently Palestinians didn’t qualify for our sympathy because they are not part of the Uefa family. Welcome to football’s moral hierarchy.
Sport on this scale is only possible in a civilised setting free of fear and coercion. And what a privilege it was to sit among 83,000 listening to the anthems of Italy and England, each group of fans expressing their tribal loyalties without consequence. Less so to witness the players gather in a circle of condolence offered to member nations Sweden and Israel to the tone-deaf exclusion of Palestine.
At least this wasn’t a moral pickle created by the FA, who were taken to task for their refusal to light the arch in the colours of Israel on Friday, choosing instead to pay their respects to the dead on both sides of the Middle East conflagration.
from Football - inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/qf2LAZW
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