North Macedonia vs England: Can England win today?

Gareth Southgate’s men did not play well as they beat Malta 2-0 at Wembley on Friday. They have qualified for next year’s tournament in Germany but they want to win something more. England need just one point from their final qualifying match to be placed in Group A (Pot 1) for the Euro 2024 draw. They have taken 19 points from seven games in Group C.

 

North Macedonia are out of Euro 2024. They currently sit fourth in Group C after a poor 5-2 defeat to Italy on Friday. In Euro 2024 qualifying, Malta have only been beaten by Blagoja Milevski’s side over two legs. However, they have struggled against England, having been thrashed 7-0 in their previous encounter in June. At the end of the season, the hosts will be looking to show progress.

 

Let’s take a look at the highlights from today’s match:

 

As the betting sites predicted, England’s last match did not follow suit. Despite the market’s predictions of a five or six-goal lead for England against Malta at Wembley on Friday, the final scoreline was a modest 2-0.

 

Initially, it was only an own goal that separated the two sides in the first 74 minutes, with Harry Kane on hand with his trademark Southgate side to score in the final minute.

 

The same scenario was faced by North Macedonia when they played in Rome, with Italy leading 3-0 at half-time. In the second half, North Macedonia managed to score twice. However, North Macedonia managed to make the most of the rare chances they had to score two goals during their attack against Italy, eventually losing 5-2.

 

Blagoja Milevski's side showed their superiority at home in this qualifying section, drawing 1-1 with Italy and losing only 2-3 to Ukraine with a minute's 83rd minute strike. North Macedonia beat Malta 2-1 before playing two friendlies against Armenia (1-0) and the Faroe Islands (3-1).

 

Half time starts!!

 

In the third minute Grealish sends a cross towards Watkins at the first post. However, Musliu's last-minute intervention saved the day when he blocked the ball at the back and the corner kicks.

 

In the fourth minute there was a chance: a low corner from the left from Alexander-Arnold. However, the ball did not land for Rice as he tried to head it close to the post, letting the ball go through his leg. Louis Frischmann kicks a loose ball with his left foot, almost every time it goes wide.

 

Alexander-Arnold provides a low left-footed corner that gives a chance. Luckily for us this time it doesn’t find Rice at close range but rolls in on the edge of the area. England new signing Lewis tries a left-footed shot that goes just wide.

 

Atanasov tackles Grealish hard in the back on 6 minutes but is booked. Watkins and Rice are unhappy with the decision. England are still in control of the game but this time, Manchester City winger Grealish is caught out by a heavy challenge as he regains possession for England. However, Rice makes a needless mistake, sending the ball over the touchline.

 

A heavy challenge from Alimi off the ball puts Grealish in front on 11 minutes. The North Macedonian midfielder looks as though he did it deliberately, and the England wingers are very unhappy with the action.

 

The team are moving forward towards the 14th minute and there is an interesting moment when City form a triangle on the left with Grealish, Foden and Lewis. Grealish, the striker, crosses to the edge of the area, and Rice flicks it through a crowd of people into the low right corner. Dimitrijevski is lucky that, despite not seeing, the ball still hits the post on the sideline, just out of danger.

 

North Macedonia start to worry temporarily in the 16th minute when Watkins fails to connect after Foden’s trickery. The home side, in turn, are awarded a free-kick towards the left, which they use to recover.

 

Elmas is shown his first yellow card in the 17th minute for a challenge on Saka who was advancing forward. It’s not just a warning for the tackle itself, but also an over-reaction to the referee.

 

And Maguire can’t resist a call for Alexander in the 18th minute. However, the referee books the midfielder for playing an attacking ball inside the box. There are many reasons why I never tried to convince my friend that he was wrong.

 

In the 23rd minute, Maguire, Guehi and Rice come on to the pitch following Foden’s corner. Unfortunately, the delivery on the left proves to be poor, and Alioski sweeps it away. Finally, Pickford releases an English long ball from the defence before launching another attack on the opposition.

 

In the 24th minute there is a controversial moment involving Maguire losing the ball inside the box as Elmas moves towards the left side of the area. The North Macedonian forwards touch the ball, and Maguire falls to their side as he touches the ball. Despite the home side’s protests, the easier option is still in favour of the visitors.

 

In the 25th minute, Musliu makes some clever moves, which causes Walker to commit a foul that shouldn’t have been. He will then give the ball high into the box to the tall players who can then send them forward to attack from a corner kick on the left.

 

In the 26th minute, Bardi’s free-kick is taken from the left wing as Atanasov competes for the ball at the back post. However, the other sails aim for a goal kick as the home side fail to take another chance. Almost slips to Watkins; 29' Foden fails. Rolling the ball, Dimitrievskiy basically moves forward out of the goalmouth and takes the ball up. He was close to the visitors.

 

Atanasov also commits a second foul on Lewis in the 34th minute, but it is not given. Although this was the fourth penalty awarded against Atanasov, a double penalty was not given.

 

As we move to the 35th minute, England have their third corner of the game, Foden crosses it from the left. Saka is guilty of wasting time when he makes an unnecessary foul to clear the close-range delivery.

 

38' Header between Lewis and Meevskiy inside the England penalty area. Meevskiy puts his hands in front of him and falls face down on the ground. VAR calls for a review of what happened to VAR.

 

Penalty to North Macedonia in the 39th minute. After a VAR review, the referee discussed the matter with the touchline monitor and concluded that Luis had impeded Mevski by misdirecting his wayward arm in the aerial contest. The VAR review and subsequent penalty decision also resulted in Luis being cautioned.

 

But in the 41st minute Jordan Pickford made a miraculous save from Ennis Bardhi’s spot kick. However, Bardhi leapt onto the rebound and fired into the empty net with a thunderous first-time strike with his right foot. Against all odds, North Macedonia went ahead with a controversial penalty.

 

On 45 minutes, Foden cuts deep in the North Macedonia defence and creates space for Luis to fire a low shot with his right foot. He does an excellent job of clearing the ball from his left.

 

The game also continues into stoppage time (45 mins + 3) as Saka feeds an inside pass from the right before Alexander-Arnold curls a right-footed effort towards the top of the bar. Dimitrijevski saves well enough to tip the ball over the bar.

 

Maguire is brought down in the North Macedonia area at the end of the first half when looking for a penalty after a high kick. During a VAR review, the referee decides that Maguire did not strike the ball high enough. Dimitrijevski escapes with just a warning for his clash with Maguire.

 

North Macedonia still lead England by one goal at the end of the first half.

 

HALF STARTS!!!

 

Goal in the 47th minute. Foden helps Saka with a clever move down the right as he curls the ball in at the back post. Dimitrijevski deals with a slight touch, but Grealish fires the ball into an open goal. However, VAR looks at the goal.

 

49 mins VAR no goal!! After a long delay, the VAR ruled that North Macedonia still had a one-goal lead. Grealish's shot at the back post was ruled offside, with the Manchester City winger ruled offside before Saka's cross from the right. The officials' decision further frustrated England.

 

In the 56th minute, England's displeasure with the referee was underlined when Alexander-Arnold was booked for dissent as he protested the throw-in decision.

 

In the 58th minute, Watkins only played briefly. He was replaced by Kane - England's leading man.

 

In the 59th minute, England levelled! Atanasov tries to clear the ball with his foot, but it hits Atanasov, an own goal. It's one for North Macedonia and Israel.

 

In the 66th minute, he strikes one with his left foot, and it goes out for a corner on his side. Despite this, North Macedonia whipped in a short corner, but Kane easily cleared it at the near post.

 

In the 70th minute, Atanasov tries to make amends with a long-range shot with his right foot. Confidence builds for North Macedia as they create a goal opportunity that Pickford easily saves.

 

In the 71st minute, after a left-footed cross from Luis, Saka hits a right-footed shot after a turn. It was an attempt to score but the Macedonian defence saved the equaliser. However, they could have passed it to Foden.

 

In the 75th minute, Ristovski comes on for Meevski, who was awarded a penalty in the first half. Kostadinov, who has been out for a year, replaces Alimi.

 

In the 82nd minute, Foden hits a free-kick that goes wide and hits the back post. Heads down and third for Maguire with a comfortable save from Dimitrievski. But the referee sees a foul in the area and awards a free-kick to North Macedonia.

 

Phillips came on for Alexander-Arnold in the 84th minute. In another instance, Marcus Rashford came on for Grealish in the 70th minute. However, this allowed Palmer to return to the international front line.

 

Achkovski replaced Dimitrievski in the 86th minute.

 

Then, in the 88th minute, the Balkans tried to take a short free-kick, after which Alioski sent in a quality cross from the left wing. Serafimov rose high, but his spinning header ended up in the roof of the net, with Pickford marking him.

 

On the stroke of half-time, only a lucky Muslo stoppage-time free-kick from Foden stopped a rare England free-kick. This allowed North Macedonia to make the substitution, with Elezi replacing Atanasov, who had scored an own goal.

 

Rashford struck a long-range free-kick in the 90+1 minute, but it missed Dimitrievski’s post by a wide margin.

 

In the 90+5th minute, Rashford's left-footed cross went past the first man but it didn't lead to a late winner as England should have scored.

 

Walker got a cross from the right in the 90+6th minute but Kane's header went over the post. England's player called for a corner but it was not awarded.

 

With the final whistle in the 90+7th minute, the match ended with the final score: North Macedonia 1 - England 1.