England maintained their 100 per cent record after four games of the Euro 2024 qualifiers with a thumping 7-0 victory over North Macedonia at Old Trafford on Monday.
And, as well as propelling the Three Lions six points clear at the top of Group C, it was a very special night for Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka who scored his first career hat-trick in the rout. At 62nd in the FIFA World Rankings, North Macedonia are 57 places lower than England, but their capitulation on a balmy evening in Manchester was dramatic, as the hosts simply ripped them to pieces. To be fair to the visitors they held out for almost half an hour until Harry Kane poked home his 57th international goal, but then England added another two before the break as Saka opened his account and Marcus Rashford fired home the third.
The goal of the game came early in the second half; and it was Saka who controlled a long ball from Trent Alexander-Arnold before smashing his shot high into the net to make it 4-0. The Arsenal man’s hat-trick came with just 51 minutes on the clock when he raced onto a through ball from Kane and drove it low past the Macedonia keeper and into the net.
Kalvin Phillips tapped in the sixth before England won a slightly lucky penalty when John Stones was hauled down, the foul starting outside the penalty area, and Kane blasted the penalty high to the left.
It was North Macedonia’s biggest ever competitive defeat and they have an uphill task to make a challenge on the top two places, with just three points in the bag. Ukraine moved into second place on six points thanks to a 1-0 win over bottom side Malta, while Italy, who were in Nations League action last week, will have to wait until September to add to their three points from two games.
Allez Les Bleus
France matched the Three Lions when they won their fourth match of the 2024 qualifiers, a 1-0 victory over Greece to top Group B with a maximum 12 points. Like England that leaves Les Bleus with one foot in the finals in Germany next year, six points clear, but other teams have games in hand. Greece are second in the group having played three games and the Netherlands have two extra to play as they too were in Nations League action last week.
Here at SBOTOP we’re watching the goings-on at Paris Saint-Germain closely and whether or not Kylian Mbappe will still be at the Parc des Princes in August. He says he will, but with one year left on his contract the situation is in the balance. But Mbappe did his business on the pitch with the winner from the penalty spot as France toiled to beat the Greeks.
Les Bleus made short work of minnows Gibraltar last week, but it was a more difficult test on Monday and even Mbappe needed two chances to convert his penalty. His first effort was saved but the referee ordered a retake after a Greece player encroached and the PSG hitman fired home his second attempt. France had opportunities to add a second, after Greece went down to ten men when defender Konstantinos Mavropanos was sent off, but 1-0 was enough.
France have not conceded a goal so far in this competition and the Euro 2024 betting odds say we can expect to see Les Bleus at the finals…along with England.
Finland and Kazakhstan lead Group H
While France and England’s groups are going pretty much to plan, Group H has a rather unexpected look about it as Finland and Kazakhstan sit first and second, with Denmark, Slovenia, Northern Ireland and San Marino trailing. Winger Daniel Hakans scored a hat-trick as Finland hammered San Marino 6-0, with Norwich City striker Teemu Pukki also on the score sheet and that result left the Fins top of the table on goal difference.
Kazakhstan are ranked 125th in the world and their Euro 2024 results have been mightily impressive, with three wins from four games, the third coming on Monday night away to Northern Ireland. The hosts were desperate for a win to kick-start their own campaign but they could not break down their resolute visitors, and the sucker blow came on 88 minutes when substitute Abat Aimbetov scored a dramatic late winner.
Denmark are lurking in third place and two points back after drawing 1-1 away to Slovenia. I’d expect the Danes to eventually win the group but, for now, it’s Finland and Kazakhstan, who have never reached a major finals, who are sitting pretty.
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