Reigning champions Italy secured a comfortable 4-0 victory over Malta in Euro 2024 qualifying on Saturday. Meanwhile, Denmark solidified their position in the competition, simultaneously diminishing the chances of outsiders Kazakhstan.
Giacomo Bonaventura marked his first goal for Italy with a beautiful curling effort, and Domenico Berardi followed with a fantastic strike to double the lead in the city of Bari.
Berardi struck again in the second half before Davide Frattesi rounded off a comfortable evening for Luciano Spalletti’s side who kept hold of second place in Group C ahead of next week’s showdown with England.
“That match is where we will really see how much potential we have,” Spalletti told broadcaster RAI.
In Euro 2024 qualifying action, Italy, who have a game in hand, closed the gap to within three points of England, setting the stage for their upcoming clash at Wembley. Domenico Berardi, who played a significant role in Italy’s Euro 2020 final win over England, expressed his anticipation for the match, which he expects to be emotional.
In other matches, Ukraine drew level with Italy thanks to a 2-0 victory over North Macedonia in Prague. Denmark avenged their earlier loss to Kazakhstan with a 3-1 win in Copenhagen, led by Robert Skov’s two goals. Kazakhstan pulled one back, but they fell four points behind in Group H.
Slovenia also had a successful outing, securing a 3-0 win over Finland in Ljubljana, with Benjamin Sesko contributing a brace. Slovenia now leads the group on goal difference, and they are set to face Denmark in a crucial match on November 17. Reigning champions Italy
In another match, Northern Ireland defeated San Marino 3-0, marking their second win in seven outings.
Hungary took command of Group G with a 2-1 home victory over Serbia. Barnabas Varga scored the opening goal for Hungary, which was then equalized by Serbia’s defender Strahinja Pavlovic. However, Hungary regained the lead with a spectacular 25-yard volley from Roland Sallai, securing the win for the home team. Hungary now holds a three-point lead over Serbia and still has a game in hand. The upcoming match between Montenegro and Serbia in Belgrade on Tuesday will be of great importance for both teams in the group.