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Liam Kelly reflected on the “best moment” of his life after eventually making his Scotland debut in the 4-1 defeat by France in Lille on Tuesday night. The 27-year-old Motherwell goalkeeper was first called up to the senior squad four years ago and had to patiently await his chance, which came when Steve Clarke rested number one Angus Gunn and started with Kelly before bringing on Hearts keeper and fellow debutant Zander Clark at the interval. It was a sore night for the Scots however, despite taking an early lead through Billy Gilmour’s first goal in senior football. France defender Benjamin Pavard scored twice with headers as a star-studded home side fought back. Skipper Kylian Mbappe added a third from the spot before the break and substitute Kingsley Coman hammered a fourth past Clark in the 70th minute to seal a convincing friendly win for the superior hosts. “The best moment of your life, isn’t it?” said Kelly when asked about his first appearance for his country. “I played for every age group with Scotland up until now and I have been in a lot of squads along with big Zander so I was just delighted to get that moment eventually. “I’m so grateful to the manager to get that chance and I am delighted for big Zander as well because we have been in this together from the start. “During the game you can’t think about anything else or else you get punished, so maybe now and over the next few days it will start to sink in a wee bit but yes, the best moment of your life playing for your country. “Me and Zander have been in the squad a long time, you take any chance you can get. “As I said I am really grateful to the manager to give me that chance. As a kid you always dream of that moment and it was a great feeling and a special occasion as well Zander Clark “He didn’t have to do it, he could have played big Angus again so I am over the moon and thankful he gave me that opportunity. “I think I done OK in the game so it all went to plan, apart from the scoreline.” Clark, 31, was similarly delighted to make his debut as replacement for long-time buddy Kelly. He said: “As a kid you always dream of that moment and it was a great feeling and a special occasion as well. “I am buzzing for Liam as well, I have known him since we were kids and a lot of hard work has gone into it. “For us to get the first on the same night is a special moment. “It was tough, they had stars all over the place. “But we had good spells and a great finish by Billy and it was unfortunate to come away with such a heavy defeat but pleased with the effort we put in.” Read More South Africa’s Handre Pollard expecting to face ‘ruthless’ England in semi-final Four out of five players want more done to keep them safe on the pitch Leeds sign Salford duo Brodie Croft and Andy Ackers on three-year deals Australian cricketers go into bat for netballers with ‘fighting fund’ Gareth Southgate savours win and says England are ‘capable of winning’ Euro 2024 Michael O’Neill wants Shea Charles to learn from dismissal on frustrating night

In the celebratory aftermath of England’s qualification for Euro 2024, Jude Bellingham was in little mood to qualify his opinion. The Real Madrid midfielder just went out and said how Gareth Southgate’s side deserved the win over Italy because they were the “much better” team. There was no diplomacy there, just a striking stridency. It created a very different mood to the last time a match between the two teams led to a tournament qualification, amid scenes that received a new prominence recently due to the David Beckham documentary. That was the 1997 0-0 draw in Rome, which saw England qualify automatically for the 1998 World Cup. The suffocating tension of that match bore so little resemblance to the stroll of Tuesday’s game, at least for Gareth Southgate’s side. Then, Christian Vieri’s late header caused audible gasps within the Stadio Olimpico, no doubt to match those around the country. The ball went just wide, though, to bring huge emotional release and Paul Gascoigne dancing. The sense of achievement was profound. It was admittedly a different football and a very different Italy, with some of the intensity influenced by England’s failure to reach USA 94, but it was still just qualification - and that for a newly expanded 32-team event. It was also a hugely talented squad, filled by some of the most relentless winners the English game has known in so many of Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United stars. And yet this England now has something more, as well as much more than just the expectation of qualification. It is more than the experience of reaching the latter stages of tournaments and so many other psychological milestones like beating Italy away. It is that assuredness, personified by Bellingham. There is something genuinely different in the midfielder, a potential missing ingredient for a team that last came within a penalty shoot-out of victory in this very competition. It is personality as much as performance. It points to an England that can be defined by “winners” at international level, that is able to rise to any given day because they are completely devoid of all the old baggage. This is something that Bellingham’s very youth represents, as well as his admirable willingness to just go straight to Real Madrid rather than feel he has to go to the Premier League. It’s similarly difficult not to think that the mood that fosters also fortifies the confidence of other players with England. That was maybe most visible in Marcus Rashford’s finish, as well as a level of display we haven’t seen so much with his club of late. None of this is to say it’s all down to Bellingham, of course. It’s rather what his mindset represents and rounds off. “He has been a catalyst,” Southgate said after the 3-1 win. “The way he carries himself and plays on the field and shows that, and he has had that since he walked through the door. Plus the power in his play, that gives us something when you are in tight situations and he can suddenly wriggle out of things… That belief, that willingness to engage with the crowd, they are rare traits in a player so young.” They are especially rare in historic England squads, right up to the recent successes. Southgate has navigated his sides through all that from fine man-management of a brilliant generation, where the Football Association have essentially become the latest wealthy western European football nation to industrialise talent production. Bellingham is the sort of player that eventually comes out of that, a final product if you like, but one that often requires a lot of patience. Putting all the pieces in place just gives you the best chance, rather than giving you a certainty of having the best player. These are of course the terms that are already framing the discussion around Bellingham. That isn’t English media exaggeration, either. It was the first question put to Southgate by Italian media. It dominated the late-night football discussion in Spain. The world is talking about Bellingham. It might yet see England dominate these Euros, in the same way they did to Italy to get there. Read More Jude Bellingham once again proves he is the key for England’s Euro 2024 hopes England have qualified for Euro 2024 — now it’s about winning it Gareth Southgate savours win and says England are ‘capable of winning’ Euro 2024 Jude Bellingham once again proves he is the key for England’s Euro 2024 hopes England have qualified for Euro 2024 — now it’s about winning it

These warming and hearty pot pies are filled with succulent chicken, chestnut mushrooms and artichokes in a delicious creamy sauce flavoured with mustard,” says Tom Kerridge. “The filling takes a bit of time, but it’s well worth it once you break into that crispy pastry topping and see all your efforts inside!” Chicken and mushroom pot pies Serves: 4 Ingredients: 750g chicken thigh fillets 500ml chicken stock 5 black peppercorns 4 sprigs of thyme 2 bay leaves 2 tbsp olive oil 200g baby chestnut mushrooms, halved 2 banana shallots, finely diced 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 150g chargrilled artichoke hearts, quartered 50g butter 50g plain flour, plus extra to dust 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1 tsp wholegrain mustard 1 tbsp tarragon, finely chopped 100ml crème fraîche 1 tbsp sherry vinegar 500g packet ready-made puff pastry 1 large free-range egg, lightly beaten with a pinch of salt Salt and freshly ground pepper Method: 1. To cook the chicken thigh fillets, put the chicken stock, peppercorns, thyme and bay leaves into a medium saucepan over a high heat and bring to a simmer. Add the chicken thighs, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is tender. 2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a frying pan, add the mushrooms and cook for two minutes. Add the shallots and garlic, stir and cook for three to four minutes or until softened. Remove from the heat, stir in the artichokes and set aside. Remove the chicken thighs from the stock and set aside on a tray. Strain the stock. Leave both to cool slightly. 3. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour and cook for two minutes. Now gradually whisk in the chicken stock and continue to whisk over a medium heat until the sauce thickens. Stir in both mustards, the chopped tarragon, crème fraîche and sherry vinegar, then the mushroom mix. 4. Cut the poached chicken into bite-sized pieces and fold through the sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste and leave to cool slightly. Divide the pie filling between four individual pie dishes and place in the fridge to chill. 5. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a 5mm thickness. Cut out four rounds, two centimetres wider than your pie dishes. Brush the edges with egg, then lay a pastry round, egg-washed edge down, over each pie dish. Brush the tops with egg wash and rest in the fridge for 20 minutes. 6. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Cut a couple of slits in the top of each pastry lid, to let steam escape during cooking. Bake the pies for 30 minutes or until the pastry is crisp and deep golden brown. Let stand for a few minutes before serving, with a green veg and mash on the side if you like. Paneer and pea fritters “These spicy, rustic-looking nibbles are my take on South Asian fried street food,” says Kerridge. “Flavoured with chaat masala (a slightly tangy spice blend), the fritters are made with protein-rich paneer and gram (chickpea) flour, which adds a nutty, earthy flavour. They need little else other than mango chutney for dipping, and a cold drink to wash them down!” Makes: about 24 Ingredients: Vegetable oil, to fry 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 onion, finely chopped 150g frozen peas, defrosted 1 green chilli, deseeded and finely sliced 175g gram flour 1 tsp chaat masala 3 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves 250g paneer, coarsely grated Salt and freshly ground pepper To serve: Mango chutney Method: 1. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a small frying pan then add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for a few seconds before adding the onion. Cook for five to seven minutes until the onion is softened, then remove from the heat and leave to cool. Preheat the oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. 2. Once cooled, tip the onion and cumin mix into a bowl and add the peas, chilli, gram flour, chaat masala and chopped coriander. Stir to combine and season well with salt and pepper. Pour in 200 millilitres of water and mix well. Add the grated paneer and stir through gently. 3. You will need to cook the fritters in three or four batches. Heat a 4-5cm depth of oil in a sauté pan to 180C (check with a thermometer). When it is hot, drop spoonfuls of the mixture into the hot oil, spacing them apart. Cook for two to three minutes on each side or until golden and crispy. 4. Remove the fritters from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Keep warm in the low oven while you cook the rest. 5. Once they are all cooked, season the fritters with a little extra salt and serve with mango chutney and lime wedges on the side. Sticky date and banana pudding “This naughty, boozy pud is one of our pub classics,” says Kerridge. “Sticky, caramelised bananas shine alongside a sweet date pudding, and the easy-to-make toffee sauce served alongside takes it to another level of indulgence.” Serves: 4 Ingredients: 1 tbsp softened butter, to grease the dishes 100g plain white flour, plus 1 tbsp to dust 100ml dark rum 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 150g pitted dates, chopped 85g vegetable suet 85g soft dark brown sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 large free-range eggs For the toffee sauce: 200ml double cream 100g soft dark brown sugar 75g butter A small pinch of salt To finish: 2 small bananas 2 tbsp demerara sugar Method: 1. Brush four individual ovenproof dishes (250 millilitre capacity) with the softened butter and dust lightly with flour, shaking out any excess. 2. Pour the rum and 100 millilitres of water into a saucepan and bring to the boil, then take off the heat and add the bicarbonate of soda and dates. Pop a lid on the pan and leave to stand for 10–15 minutes to allow the dates to soak up the liquid and cool down. 3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. 4. Tip the dates and liquid into a large bowl and add the flour, suet, brown sugar, vanilla extract and eggs. Beat until evenly combined. Spoon the mixture into the prepared dishes and bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes until golden brown. 5. Meanwhile, to make the toffee sauce, pour the cream into a saucepan and add the brown sugar, butter and salt. Place over a low heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved, then bring to the boil. Simmer for two to three minutes, then remove from the heat. 6. Peel and thinly slice the bananas. Once you’ve removed the puddings from the oven, arrange the banana slices, overlapping, around the edge of each dish. Sprinkle the banana slices liberally with demerara sugar and run a cook’s blowtorch over them to caramelise the sugar. 7. Serve the date and banana puddings with the toffee sauce in a jug on the side. ‘Pub Kitchen’ by Tom Kerridge (Bloomsbury Absolute, £27). Read More From Nepal to Tibet: Eight warming dishes from the coldest places on earth Obsessed with Boursin? It’s the perfect way to elevate your leftovers Two seasonal stews to keep the chill off this autumn Farmers’ markets in autumn are a cornucopia of colour Spice up your life: Three recipes from Nadiya Hussain’s new book that bring the heat Budget Bites: Three one-pan recipes that minimise on washing up

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Gareth Southgate says England are ready to fight for European Championship glory having progressed from what he believes was the toughest qualifying group with two matches to spare. After bouncing back from December’s World Cup quarter-final exit to France by winning in Naples in March, three further wins and a draw away to Ukraine put the Euro 2020 runners-up within touching distance of progress. Unbeaten England only needed a point against Italy to wrap up qualification for next year’s finals in Germany but went on to secure all three thanks to an impressive 3-1 comeback victory at a sold-out Wembley. “Really pleased to win the game tonight,” manager Southgate said after sealing their spot at Euro 2024. “That’s the first thing. “We know that the games against the top, top nations are the ones that we want to make a step forward with. “We still need to win the games next month because it can affect seeding. I think it's probably the toughest qualifying group Gareth Southgate “Nice to get it done early. I think it’s probably the toughest qualifying group, with Ukraine, Italy and the results that North Macedonia have had, not only in this qualification but also in previous qualifications.” The pressure is off as England welcome Malta next month, before rounding off 2023 away to North Macedonia buoyed by an impressive victory against Italy. Former West Ham striker Gianluca Scamacca had put the Azzurri ahead on Tuesday as these nations met at Wembley for the first time since the Euro 2020 final. But Harry Kane levelled from the spot and Marcus Rashford finished off a fine second-half team move, before the skipper added his second on a night that underlined their place among the Euro 2024 favourites. “I think we have to accept that,” Southgate said. “I think pressure comes when expectation is different to reality and the reality is we are going to be one of the teams capable of winning. The reality is we are going to be one of the teams capable of winning Gareth Southgate on Euro 2024 “There are others. You know, it’s a very strong (line-up). You’ve only got to look through the top 10 European nations and on any given night one can beat another. “We’re seeing in a Rugby World Cup now that teams that were ranked one and two in the world in those moments haven’t been able to get there. That’s tournaments. “But we’re comfortable with that. I’ve talked about that from when we played at Naples and we delivered that night. “I think we’ve continued to do that through this calendar year. I think our performances have been good. “I think the players that played against Australia did a brilliant job for us. “If we didn’t have the depth that we’ve got and the mentality to come through what was a really tough night for them, we wouldn’t have been able to have the freshness that we had tonight to give ourselves the best chance of winning the game.” One of the keys to success next summer will undoubtedly be the brilliance of midfielder Jude Bellingham. The Real Madrid star is arguably the best player on the planet right now and earned the first half penalty scored by Kane, before winning the ball and playing in Rashford. “With Jude, his mentality is incredible for his age,” Southgate said. “To have such an impact at such a young age, to show such maturity but also humility. We’re very lucky to have him.” As for Italy, Tuesday’s defeat under the arch leaves them in third in Group C and three points behind second-placed Ukraine. But Luciano Spalletti’s men have a game in hand on Sergey Rebrov’s outfit, who they face in the final round of fixtures. “We have to win our next game so we can then travel away to Ukraine to compete,” the Italy boss said, looking ahead to November’s home clash with North Macedonia. “I saw a team trying to do what I asked of them and I saw some good things. We made a few errors as well. “With the things we did well, we weren’t able to score but as soon as we made a mistake, we conceded.” Read More Michael O’Neill wants Shea Charles to learn from dismissal on frustrating night Steve Clarke says Scotland have ‘lots to improve’ after defeat to France Republic of Ireland heading in the right direction – striker Callum Robinson Scotland come back to earth as France recover from early fright Shea Charles dismissed as Northern Ireland lose at home to Slovenia Jordan Henderson has ‘no regrets’ over Saudi Arabia move despite being booed

Michael O’Neill has told Shea Charles he must learn from his dismissal after Northern Ireland suffered yet another 1-0 defeat in Euro 2024 qualifying, this time at home to Slovenia. The 19-year-old Charles has been one of the bright spots for Northern Ireland in a hugely frustrating qualifying campaign, among the young players who have grabbed the chance to establish themselves in the side amid an injury nightmare. But his international copybook got its first blemish as he collected two yellow cards to be sent off just before the hour mark at Windsor Park, meaning his run of starting every game so far in this campaign will end when Northern Ireland head to Finland next month. The Southampton midfielder was booked for dissent just a few minutes into the match, protesting against the dubious decision to award Slovenia the free-kick from which Adam Cerin won the game, and then saw red when he caught Andraz Sporar late in the 58th minute. Northern Ireland had been frustrated by several decisions from referee Istvan Kovacs on the night but O’Neill said that was something they had to be able to handle. “This is a learning curve for young players,” he said. “(Slovenia) are a much more experienced international team than we are. You can see that in the way they managed the situation and played the referee a little bit. “The emotion in the stadium obviously transferred to the players a little bit, everyone gets a bit frustrated with some of the decisions…If you’re booked for dissent, that’s poor. You put yourself under pressure so we have to learn from that.” “We’ve probably seen a little combination of inexperience in a number of players and also just the nature of the emotion in the game when you’re chasing the game against a team that are a little bit more experienced and that can spill over a little bit. “But I think that on the night we were pretty disappointed with the performance of the referee.” This was Northern Ireland’s fifth 1-0 defeat of a campaign in which they have faced endless injury problems, with O’Neill forced to use two more fresh faces – Eoin Toal and Brad Lyons – on the night to take the number who have played in the eight qualifiers so far to 31. O’Neill could rightly argue that this performance was a step forward from last month’s 4-2 defeat to Slovenia in Ljubljana considering the way a makeshift defence was able to stifle Benjamin Sesko – who went down easily to win the decisive free-kick off Jamal Lewis – and Sporar. But ultimately it was another defeat, a sixth out of eight with only two wins over minnows San Marino to break up the run. “I think there is always frustration when you lose the game – and a little bit of disappointment as well,” he said. “I think the players deserved more out of it than what they got. We have had a frustrating campaign, a very challenging campaign and tonight’s game was probably a reflection of that once again.” Captain Jonny Evans ended the night limping heavily after taking a late blow to his foot, having already been down in the first half to receive treatment. “He’s obviously hobbling a little bit in there,” O’Neill said of the Manchester United defender. “I think the same foot was stamped on three times so he’s limping pretty badly but I think he’ll be fine. “It will be one of those where when he wakes up in the morning he’ll be pretty sore but there’s no real damage as far as I know.” Read More Steve Clarke says Scotland have ‘lots to improve’ after defeat to France Republic of Ireland heading in the right direction – striker Callum Robinson Scotland come back to earth as France recover from early fright Shea Charles dismissed as Northern Ireland lose at home to Slovenia Jordan Henderson has ‘no regrets’ over Saudi Arabia move despite being booed Rassie Erasmus expects England to have ‘some beef’ with South Africa

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Steve Clarke has told his Scotland players to “stop this run” of defeats next month after losing 4-1 to France in Lille. The Scots went into the friendly knowing they had qualified for the 2024 European Championships after Spain beat Norway at the weekend to ensure a top-two finish in Group A. Scotland had lost 2-0 to Spain last week on the back of a 3-1 loss to England at Hampden Park in the 150th Heritage Anniversary match and the French were even classier. Clarke made eight changes from Seville – goalkeepers Liam Kelly and Zander Clark played a half each on their debuts. Scotland stunned the home side when midfielder Billy Gilmour guided in the opener after 11 minutes – his first ever senior goal. However, France defender Benjamin Pavard scored two headers, skipper Kylian Mbappe added a third from the spot before the break after a VAR intervention saw referee Tobias Stieler judge Scotland defender Liam Cooper had held Olivier Giroud and substitute Kingsley Coman hammered in a fourth. After victory in their first five Euro qualifiers, Scotland have lost three in a row and Clarke wants to get that winning feeling back in the final two qualifiers against Georgia next month before the final game against Norway. He said: “We can take away the memory of the qualification but we lost two games in the camp. “We don’t like losing. I don’t want them to be comfortable losing or happy to lose. We have lost three in a row now and I have asked them to make sure that when we got to Georgia that we stop this run Steve Clarke “We spoke about that after the game. It is important we set our standards higher than that. “We have lost three in a row now and I have asked them to make sure that when we got to Georgia that we stop this run. “We want to finish on the same points as Spain so the target is to finish with 21 point which will make it a good campaign.” Clarke, who was “happy” with his team selection, acknowledged the superiority of the home side. He said: “I thought we started the game really well, the first 15 minute was good and we got ourselves in front. “To concede a goal from a corner was disappointing because we know France can score from open play and we try not to give goals away from set plays. “The third goal – I don’t think VAR should have got involved in the decision, it was soft and when the referee goes there he has to be strong to stick with his original decision. “Both players were at it and that takes the game away from us. “The second half was OK but France are always a threat with their pace and power and quality. “So lots to learn, lots to improve. We know we are not at that level yet. “It is level we are going to strive to get to and the harder we strive the better team we will be.” After sealing qualification to Euro 2024 with a 2-1 win over the Netherlands on Friday, France boss Didier Deschamps was happy to finish the camp off with a convincing win He said: “It was a very good week, When you win you are always happy. “The most important thing was against the Netherlands on Friday night and the fact that we have shown so much quality tonight as well, it is a great satisfaction for us. “We created lots of chances against a team that can defend pretty well and has a lot of qualities. So we are very happy.” Read More Michael O’Neill wants Shea Charles to learn from dismissal on frustrating night Republic of Ireland heading in the right direction – striker Callum Robinson Scotland come back to earth as France recover from early fright Shea Charles dismissed as Northern Ireland lose at home to Slovenia Jordan Henderson has ‘no regrets’ over Saudi Arabia move despite being booed Rassie Erasmus expects England to have ‘some beef’ with South Africa

Callum Robinson is convinced the Republic of Ireland are heading in the right direction despite their disappointing Euro 2024 qualifying campaign. Ireland will not be in Germany for next summer’s finals – barring an unlikely series of results elsewhere which could hand them a second chance via the play-offs – after taking just six points from their first seven Group B fixtures, with just a tough trip to the Netherlands next month to come. That has left manager Stephen Kenny fighting for his job, but Cardiff striker Robinson believes the foundations the 51-year-old has put in place since succeeding Mick McCarthy in April 2021 could yet pay dividends. Speaking after Monday night’s 4-0 victory over Gibraltar in Faro, the 28-year-old said: “There’s so much potential and it’s a hard one for everybody to hear, but I think we’ve come a long way, football-wise. “Now it’s getting over the other side by getting wins and three points. It’s been disappointing that we haven’t got the results we wanted, but if you look from the time the gaffer came in, it’s been chalk and cheese. We’re playing much better football. “But it’s about bringing all of it together, being the team that’s hard to beat, scores goals and get wins.” Kenny’s masterplan has been to overhaul his squad – he has handed out 20 debuts and used 52 different players in his time at the helm – with many of the newcomers elevated from the under-21 ranks. We nicked results, but it wasn’t enjoyable to watch Republic of Ireland striker Callum Robinson The average age of the starting line-up at the Estadio Algarve was a little under 25.4; that figure was in excess of 28.8 for McCarthy’s final fixture against Denmark in November 2019. However, whatever progress Kenny believes has been made has not been reflected in results, with the win in Faro just his sixth in 28 competitive matches and only one of note, a 3-0 Nations League victory over Scotland. But Robinson said: “I can remember when I first joined the squad, everyone was saying that we weren’t playing enough football, just hitting it up there and hoping. “That’s not so long ago, only five years ago. We nicked results, but it wasn’t enjoyable to watch. Now we’re playing good football and it’s about bringing that balance, being good in both boxes.” Robinson was one of Ireland’s goalscorers in Faro, marking the latest stage in his re-emergence from a long-term hamstring injury which was followed by a back problem and in the meantime, he has seen 18-year-old Evan Ferguson, who also found the back of the net on Monday evening, take his chance with both hands. Asked about the competition, the older man said: “That’s football and he’s flying. I’m here to help. It’s competition and we’ll push each other. “He’s a young kid, but is coming on leaps and bounds watching him week in, week out and he’s been nominated for the (European) Golden Boy (Award). “He’s level-headed and if he stays the way he is off the pitch, he’ll have an unbelievable career.” Read More Scotland come back to earth as France recover from early fright Shea Charles dismissed as Northern Ireland lose at home to Slovenia Jordan Henderson has ‘no regrets’ over Saudi Arabia move despite being booed Rassie Erasmus expects England to have ‘some beef’ with South Africa Netherlands stun South Africa in massive Cricket World Cup shock Marcus Smith on ‘modified training’ as England prepare for South Africa semi-final

England have qualified for Euro 2024 with two games to spare after coming from behind to defeat Italy thanks to two goals from Harry Kane and a brilliant Marcus Rashford strike. Former West Ham striker Gianluca Scamacca punished some slack England defending to fire Italy into an early lead, in what was a rematch of the Euro 2020 final at Wembley. But England hit back as Kane converted a 32nd-minute penalty, which was won by Jude Bellingham following a bursting run into the Italy box. And Bellingham was heavily involved again as he led an England counter-attack after the break, creating space for Rashford to slam a powerful strike into the corner. Kane made sure of the victory with another breakaway goal late on - his 61st for England - and it means Gareth Southgate’s side can now begin their preparations for Germany next summer. Here are how the England players rated at Wembley Jordan Pickford, 7 The goalkeeper made some key stops with the match level in the first half, particularly from Destiny Udogie’s run shortly before the break. Italy were poor in the second half and Pickford was barely troubled from there. Kyle Walker, 6 The experienced right back was assured and steady and barely let Stephan El Shaarway have a sniff. John Stones, 6 The centre-back is still working his way up to full fitness but his class on the ball was apparent. Perhaps caught a yard short of Scamacca for Italy’s opening goal - but England were also second-best throughout the pitch at the time. Harry Maguire, 6 There were spells in the first half where England needed to move it quicker and Maguire was left looking culpable with his ponderous style in possession. Italy certainly punished some slack defending with the opening goal, but Maguire also grew into the game and made some key blocks. Given the outside noise, this was a decent performance from the centre-back. Kieran Trippier, 5 Seemed outnumbered at times with Domenico Berardi and Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s partnership on the Italian right, while he certainly doesn’t look as comfortable on the opposite side. Kalvin Phillips, 4 Looked sluggish from the opening 10 minutes, where he was late to a couple of challenges and it resulted in an early yellow. There were big gaps in midfield, which were the areas Phillips was in the team to fill in his double-pivot with Rice, and he was perhaps fortunate not to be shown a second yellow after another mistimed challenge. Brought off for Jordan Henderson. Declan Rice, 6 It was rare to see Rice so exposed in midfield and there were a couple of moments where Italy were able to play around him - Italy’s Davide Frattesi and Nicolo Barella were certainly a handful - but it’s a measure of Rice’s authority that he soon got the situation under control. Phil Foden, 8 Made some thrilling bursts from central positions and was also heavily involved in England’s brilliant second goal on the counter-attack. Perhaps still isn’t as threatening on the right wing as Bukayo Saka often is, but shows brilliant flashes of quality in those dangerous inside channels. Jude Bellingham, 9 If there was only one England player who looked sharp in the sluggish opening half hour, it’s no surprise to say it was Bellingham. Helped bring England level with his burst into the box to win Kane’s penalty and then repeated the trick with a lovely flick and drive forward in the move that led to Rashford’s strike. England’s main man, at 20 years old, and his display received a standing ovation. Marcus Rashford, 8 It’s amazing what a goal can do. Looked short of confidence in the first half, even as he almost forced a couple of openings in his battle with Di Lorenzo. But Bellingham’s break allowed Rashford to cut inside from the left and smash a brilliant strike past Gianluigi Donnarumma. It was a sudden flash of last season’s form. Harry Kane, 9 Brought up his 60th England goal from the spot with a typically cool penalty. There were times early on where he looked a little more isolated up front than in previous appearances, but from there the quality link-up play with his fellow forwards flowed, with clever touches and booming switches to both Foden and Rashford. His second goal of the night, as he eased Alessandro Baston away and finished, simply oozed the class of an elite striker. Read More England have qualified for Euro 2024 — now it’s about winning it Jude Bellingham once again proves he is the key for England’s Euro 2024 hopes Jude Bellingham once again proves he is the key for England’s Euro 2024 hopes England have qualified for Euro 2024 — now it’s about winning it Kyle Walker eyes ‘little bit of payback’ as England host Italy

Ten-man Northern Ireland returned to the all-too-familiar feeling of defeat as Adam Cerin’s early free-kick put Group H leaders Slovenia on the verge of qualifying for Euro 2024 with a scrappy 1-0 win at Windsor Park. Saturday’s 3-0 victory over minnows San Marino ended Northern Ireland’s five-game losing streak but it proved only a temporary reprieve in an injury-ravaged qualifying campaign which has now seen Michael O’Neill’s side suffer five 1-0 defeats in eight games. The defining moment of the match came early on. While there was no doubt about the quality of Adam Cerin’s fifth-minute free-kick, Northern Ireland were fuming at referee Istvan Kovacs’ decision to award it after Jamal Lewis barely clipped Benjamin Sesko on the edge of the box. Shea Charles was booked for dissent and that proved costly just before the hour mark when the Southampton midfielder went in late on Andraz Sporar and was sent off, the first blemish on the 19-year-old’s impressive start in international football. Charles has started every game of this campaign but will now miss November’s trip to Finland, another headache for O’Neill, who was forced into further changes here with Dan Ballard out with a thigh problem and Paddy McNair suspended following his late yellow card on Saturday. The manager responded with bold choices, handing debuts to Bolton defender Eoin Toal and Kilmarnock midfielder Brad Lyons, the 30th and 31st players to be used in eight qualifiers so far, despite more experienced options on the bench. The atmosphere inside a below-capacity Windsor Park was already flat at the start with but it fell silent after Cerin’s goal, the fans not even having the energy to resume the anti-Casement Park chanting heard before kick-off. As the night wore on, a sense of injustice would rouse the fans. Northern Ireland responded quickly when Slovenia scored early in Ljubljana last month, a 4-2 defeat, but struggled to threaten here. Paul Smyth, the star of the show on Saturday, found little joy on the right. On the left Lewis had more joy in finding space but lacked the quality of cross required. Although limited going forward, Northern Ireland were at least ensuring Slovenia’s powerful strike force had few sights of Bailey Peacock-Farrell’s goal. After one rare attack, Slovenia appeared to have been gifted a second just after the half hour. Trai Hume’s poor headed clearance went straight to Jan Mlakar and Toal got it all wrong trying to cut out his low cross, allowing Sesko to thump home from close range. However, the visitors’ celebrations were cut short after the referee checked the replay, deeming Sporar to be interfering from an offside position. O’Neill sent on Washington for Josh Magennis at the break and was planning further changes a little over 10 minutes in before Charles saw red, forcing a rethink. Conor McMenamin, amongst the goals on Saturday, had been due to come on but instead it was George Saville, Dion Charles and Isaac Price who entered the fray in a triple change. The substitutes combined for Northern Ireland’s best move in the 69th minute as Price drove down the right, exchanged passes with Washington and then pulled the ball back for Saville but the midfielder, yet to score for Northern Ireland after 49 appearances, did not get enough power on his shot. There was a let-off in the 72nd minute when Mlakar found space in front of goal but got the contact on his shot all wrong, while at the other end Dion Charles blazed harmlessly wide. Northern Ireland still pushed forward but another flowing move ended with Saville shooting straight at Oblak and other attacks were thwarted by the over-officious Kovacs. Captain Jonny Evans, who had treatment on an ankle injury in the first half, ended the game limping heavily after another strong impact when challenging for a corner. Read More Kevin Sinfield says England’s Marcus Smith now ‘world class’ at full-back Jordan Henderson has ‘no regrets’ over Saudi Arabia move despite being booed Rassie Erasmus expects England to have ‘some beef’ with South Africa Netherlands stun South Africa in massive Cricket World Cup shock Marcus Smith on ‘modified training’ as England prepare for South Africa semi-final Beth Mead ‘not close’ to England recall, Sarina Wiegman admits

England wrapped up qualification for Euro 2024 with two matches to spare as Harry Kane’s brace helped Gareth Southgate’s side secure a 3-1 comeback win against Italy. Having kicked off Group C with an impressive victory in Naples, it has long been a case of when rather than if the unbeaten Euro 2020 runners-up would seal their spot in Germany. Italy stood in their way of early progress as these nations met at Wembley for the first time since they pipped Southgate’s men to European Championship glory on penalties. England have come a long way in the intervening 27 months and emphatically bounced back from former West Ham striker Gianluca Scamacca’s early gut punch under the arch. Kane struck from the spot after Giovanni Di Lorenzo brought down brilliant Jude Bellingham in the box, putting the hosts on course for the point they needed to go through. But England wanted more and returned from the break with the bit between their teeth, with Real Madrid star Bellingham beginning a brilliant counter-attack that ended with him playing in Marcus Rashford to rifle home. It will have been a special moment given the England forward missed one of the penalties against Italy and Kane added late gloss as the skipper looks forward to leading the national team to next year’s Euros. Southgate made 11 alterations from Friday’s 1-0 friendly win against Australia on a night that began with a disrupted minute’s silence for those killed from UEFA members nations Israel and Sweden. England began on the front foot and dominated early possession, with Rashford hitting a 30-yard free-kick over as they looked to strike the first blow. Gianluigi Donnarumma – one of just three survivors from Italy’s Euro 2020 final line-up – soon kept his cool under pressure from Kane, inadvertently starting a move that ended with a 15th-minute opener. Destiny Udogie roared down the left before playing on to Stephan El Shaarawy, whose cross-field ball found Domenico Berardi despite a deflection. The Italy forward slipped in underlapping Di Lorenzo to hit a fizzing low cross that Davide Frattesi missed, only for Scamacca to fire into the roof of the net from six yards. England appeared to go into their shells and Scamacca whistled wide from the edge of the box as Luciano Spalletti’s revitalised Azzurri pushed for a quickfire second. The Wembley atmosphere was even worse than against Australia and Bellingham tried to whip up the crowd after seeing a headed effort stopped before a poor Italy challenge on him soon improved the mood. Di Lorenzo caught Bellingham as he attempted to stop the England midfielder in the box, leading referee Clement Turpin to point to the spot. The VAR pored over the replays during a lengthy delay that did not disturb Kane, who sent Donnarumma the wrong way with a well-struck penalty. England appealed for another spot-kick shortly after, but those appeals were waved away and an Italy break was just halted in time. Rashford saw a drilled strike denied by Donnarumma and Udogie cut away to get away a low shot saved smartly by Jordan Pickford as an even half came to an end. England returned from the break with a renewed pep in their step and a superb team move led Wembley to erupt. Bellingham tackled Nicolo Barella on the edge of England’s box and burst forwards, collecting a pass from Phil Foden after fine footwork and coolly taking it beyond an Italian defender. The 20-year-old smartly turned left to Rashford, who cut inside and surprised Donnarumma with a low, lasered 57th-minute finish which provided a fitting end to a fine move. Scamacca was denied as Italy attempted to draw level, with play halted after rusty Kalvin Phillips’ poor tackle on Barella. The already booked midfielder was fortunate not to pick up a second yellow card and was swiftly replaced by Jordan Henderson, who was largely cheered but booed again by some. England looked most likely to score the next goal as Foden and Rashford continued to threaten, with Kane eventually striking the killer blow. The Bayern Munich striker nicked thee ball off the toe of Giorgio Scalvini and held off Alessandro Bastoni before beating Donnarumma.