ECQ: England cruise to win against Malta
Malta 0 - 4 England
England continued their perfect record in Euro 2024 qualifying with a comfortable win at Malta.
Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold scored a fine 25-yard strike between an own goal and two penalties from Harry Kane and Callum Wilson.
Gareth Southgate's side had little trouble dispatching the side 172nd in the Fifa rankings. The England boss would maybe liked a couple of extra goals but apart from that, he'd very little to complain about.
You can watch the highlights in the video below. Footage from Channel 4 Sport. Malta v England (0-4) | Trent Alexander-Arnold Masterclass | Match Highlights | Euro 2024 - YouTube
The three points were sealed inside the first 31 minutes as Ferdinando Apap turned past his goalkeeper before Alexander-Arnold's impressive strike.
Just over 90 seconds after Alexander-Arnold's goal, Kane made it 3-0 from the penalty spot after being fouled by Matthew Guillaumier. It was his 50th competitive England goal which means he has now scored in 11 straight Euro qualifiers.
To be honest, the second half of the match felt like it was a pre-season friendly. England's goalkeeper Jordan Pickford was nothing more than a spectator in those last 45 minutes.
Kane was replaced in that second period, allowing Wilson the chance to score from the spot when his cross was handled by Malta captain Steve Borg and a penalty was awarded by VAR.
Ultimately, it was a satisfactory and comfortable night for Southgate's side. Another win in their next match against North Macedonia will see them move closer to qualification for next summer's European Championships.
Click here to explore the place with all the latest news and stories for the qualification process for Euro 2024: Euro 2024 Qualifying (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com)
The best fan reaction to England's win
Peter Jacobs watched the match on TV and provided some interesting thoughts about England's tactics and performance. He told us: "Trent was fantastic tonight. I really enjoyed watching him in that role. I love Southgate. He's done a fantastic job throughout his time. However, I felt there should have been more experimentation against Malta. Trent was a good pick in the midfield three. I'm not sure Henderson and Rice were both required. Both are quality players, but maybe he could have picked a more creative option against a side that was also going to play most of their players behind the ball."
Guardian reader Ken Twix posted these thoughts of the match on the Guardian's report: "The job was done in the first half, and there will be people complaining it wasn't 8-0, but ultimately a four-goal win, two reliable penalty takers, and Trent playing so well in a new role, there are so many positives to take."
Ryan Wilson was in attendance at the match. He told told us: "What an amazing few days and then a decent result. "We were very clinical and ruthless in the first half and put the game to bed. It then gave players like Callum Wilson an opportunity to get on the pitch."
Frank was also in Malta. He added: "A fairly straightforward evening for the players and manager. Onwards to the next step. Not quite at the stage of booking my flights to Germany but starting to look at a few different hotel prices."
