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.

Late goals from Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Gianluca Gaetano guided Serie A champions Napoli to a 3-1 win over 10-man Inter, denting the Nerazzurri's bid for a top-four finish.

Simone Inzaghi named a much-changed team with one eye on Wednesday's Coppa Italia final against Fiorentina, and Inter's task was made more difficult when Roberto Gagliardini was dismissed after picking up two first-half bookings.

Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa broke Inter's resistance when he fired home on the turn, but Romelu Lukaku looked to have stolen a point with a close-range finish eight minutes from time.

Napoli were determined to continue their Scudetto celebrations with another win, however, Di Lorenzo firing into the top-left corner before Gaetano struck on the break to leave Inter vulnerable in the top-four battle.

Luciano Spalletti bemoaned Frank Anguissa's "unfair" dismissal as Napoli were dealt another absentee blow in Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final defeat at Milan.

The Napoli midfielder was dismissed for two bookable offences in the space of four second-half minutes as Ismael Bennacer's 40th-minute strike proved the difference in a 1-0 win for Milan at San Siro.

Spalletti was already without injured striker Victor Osimhen, and his replacement Giovanni Simeone, with Anguissa's suspension adding another name to Napoli's growing list of absentees.

The Napoli coach was left unimpressed by referee Istvan Kovacs' decisions but insisted the Serie A leaders have capable replacements heading into next week's return leg in Naples.

"I have nothing to say, commenting after the matches is wasted time, there's no turning back," Spalletti told Sky Sport.

"At this point, every absence is a blow for us, but we have someone who replace him. It's been like this for the whole season, otherwise we wouldn't have the results we have managed.

"We trust the group, but it's a pity we won't have Anguissa because I think it's unfair... It was planned to replace him, I was looking at who to bring on in the three substitutions, I was missing the third.

"The regret is that he played two more minutes while I decided. I'll think about what I did, the referee won't comment, [UEFA Referees' Committee chairman Roberto] Rosetti will do it.

"From what I've seen, Anguissa gets a lot of ball... Let's look at the yellow card for [Piotr] Zielinski and the one not given to [Rade] Krunic."

Milan have caused Napoli issues twice in the space of 10 days, hammering the Partenopei 4-0 in Serie A before overcoming Spalletti's side in Europe.

Stefano Pioli's men are the only team to beat Napoli more than once this season, with two of the Partenopei's five defeats coming against Milan.

The Rossoneri are also the only side to have stopped Napoli scoring in more than one match this term, while Milan have scored six goals this season against Spalletti's side – twice as many as any other team.

Spalletti was still pleased with what his side offered, though, and hailed the efforts of Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan, who made an impressive five saves.

He added: "We had a great attitude, I congratulate the team on how they tried to play the game, even outnumbered. And congratulations to Maignan."

Milan have progressed from seven of their previous nine two-legged ties in the Champions League knockout stages after winning the first clash, while they have lost just one of 10 all-Italian match-ups in Europe.

Yet Napoli captain Di Lorenzo remains confident when Pioli's men visit the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium for Tuesday's second leg.

The Italy international told Amazon Prime Video: "We are a quality squad, to go through you have to win at home, we hope there will be a good atmosphere, as always this year."

Luciano Spalletti promised Napoli can beat Milan without Victor Osimhen as he told his team to "enjoy every moment" of the club's maiden Champions League quarter-final.

The first leg at San Siro takes place on Wednesday, just 10 days after Napoli suffered an unexpected 4-0 trouncing at home against Milan in Serie A.

That result came almost out of the blue, with Napoli streaking away at the top of the league, where they now hold a 16-point lead over second-placed Lazio as a first Scudetto since 1990 looms.

Osimhen, their 25-goal striker, has not played for Napoli since before the recent international break due to an abductor muscle injury sustained on Nigeria duty.

He missed the Milan game in the league, from which Napoli bounced back with a 2-1 win over Lecce on Friday, and it remains to be seen whether Osimhen returns for the April 18 home leg against the Rossoneri.

"We have won very important games without Osimhen," Spalletti said. "I expect all my players will rely on their team-mates and their own qualities and abilities so that the most brilliant tactics come out."

Captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo agreed with coach Spalletti, saying: "We feel OK even if Osimhen isn't there tomorrow.

"He's a fundamental player, but we can't rely on him. We will have to face this battle with the players who are available. We will have to take any chances possible."

Napoli headed into this week as the competition's top scorers with 25 goals, with their average of 3.1 goals per game the fifth-best in a single campaign – after Bayern Munich in 2019-20 (3.9), Paris Saint-Germain in 2017-18 (3.4), Real Madrid in 2013-14 (3.2) and Liverpool in 2017-18 (3.2).

It is not only Osimhen who has been scoring for them in Europe either, with his haul of four goals in the Champions League matched by team-mates Piotr Zielinski, Giovanni Simeone and Giacomo Raspadori.

The last Italian team to have as many different players scoring four or more goals in a single edition of the Champions League were 2002-03 finalists Juventus (Del Piero, Nedved, Di Vaio and Trezeguet), so that may bode well.

"We need to have fun. We can't go to the pitch and be afraid," Spalletti said in a pre-match press conference.

"We need to take this chance, enjoy the game, enjoy every moment, even tonight. We're going to have dinner, and we need to enjoy dinner, and after dinner, we need to enjoy those hours before we go to sleep. They have to enjoy every single moment and this will be satisfying as well.

"This expression I use – Christmas Eve – for games like this is part of the idea a match has to be enjoyed in every single moment."

The Milan game from April 2 is one Spalletti says his players can forget about.

"Champions do not regret when they fail," he said. "They just recover, they just stand up again, and this team is made of champions.

"We are about to play a match that could represent a turning point in our future. We are aware of this fact, and we are ready for it."

Napoli got back to winning ways as an own goal from goalkeeper Wladimiro Falcone handed them a 2-1 Serie A victory away at Lecce on Friday.

The league leaders were thumped 4-0 at home by Milan last weekend, but they bounced back by overcoming a stubborn Lecce, who can probably count themselves unlucky not to come away with a share of the spoils.

Giovanni Di Lorenzo headed Napoli in front early on, but the hosts equalised not long after half-time when Federico Di Francesco thumped home with a fine finish.

But an own goal gave Luciano Spalletti's men victory as Mario Rui's teasing delivery came off Antonino Gallo, with Falcone only able to paw it over the line as Napoli resumed normal service.

The hosts started brightly, Youssef Maleh forcing a great save from Alex Meret to palm over his rasping drive.

The visitors grew into the game though, and Di Lorenzo put them ahead in the 18th minute when he sent a powerful header from Kim Min-jae's cross flying past Falcone and into the back of the net.

A fingertip save from Falcone pushed Hirving Lozano's low shot past the post to keep Napoli's lead at just a single goal heading into the break, and Lecce levelled shortly after the interval.

A free-kick into the visitors' box caused havoc, and Assan Ceesay saw a header come back off the bar before Di Francesco rifled into the bottom corner.

Napoli went on to win though in bizarre fashion, as a mix-up between Gallo and Falcone from Mario Rui's cross ended with the goalkeeper clawing into his own net to give the league leaders their 24th Serie A win of the campaign.

Napoli took a significant step towards their first Champions League quarter-final after a 2-0 victory over 10-man Eintracht Frankfurt on Tuesday.

Victor Osimhen's 40th-minute opener at Deutsche Bank Park set Napoli on their way in the first leg of their last-16 clash after Kevin Trapp saved a Khvicha Kvaratskhelia penalty.

Randal Kolo Muani's red card after 58 minutes only served to further Napoli's cause before Giovanni Di Lorenzo netted to secure a comfortable lead in the tie.

Eintracht will have the chance to fight back in Naples on March 15, though it appears little can stop Luciano Spalletti's Serie A leaders at present.

Kolo Muani blasted an early warning shot wide after a smart flick past Amir Rrahmani, but Napoli soon began to dominate.

Their pressure told as Aurelio Buta needlessly felled Osimhen inside the area after Hirving Lozano struck the right post, only for Trapp to dive to his right to save Kvaratskhelia's poor penalty.

Napoli did reap their rewards four minutes later, though, as Osimhen turned in Lozano's right-wing cross, with the same combination then denied a swift second by an offside flag.

Trapp parried away a swerving Lozano attempt after the interval before Kvaratskhelia wasted a glorious chance with a chip straight at the onrushing Eintracht goalkeeper, but matters went from bad to worse for Eintracht soon enough.

Kolo Muani was shown a straight red for a lunge on Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, and Napoli capitalised as a smart Kvaratskhelia backheel found Di Lorenzo, who curled low into the bottom-left corner to secure a two-goal cushion.

What does it mean? Business as usual for in-form Napoli

Eintracht had lost only two of 19 matches in Europe under Oliver Glasner – and just one in nine on home soil – but Napoli present an entirely different challenge this season.

Although Spalletti's in-form side, who have won 20 of 23 Serie A games this term, were slow to get going, Eintracht had no answer once they found their feet.

Napoli have never progressed past this round in the Champions League, but it will take something special to stop the rampant Partenopei this time.

Unstoppable Osimhen

Osimhen's remarkable form has led to speculation around a move to Manchester United or Chelsea, but his focus for now is on Napoli's dual bid for Serie A and Champions League glory.

The Nigeria international certainly did not appear distracted as he scored in a sixth successive match – his best streak for Napoli. 

Error compounds Eintracht misery

Kolo Muani embodied Eintracht's early promise, with his nimble footwork and pace causing repeated problems down the right flank.

But hopes of a positive outcome in this first leg – and perhaps in the tie, too – were erased after a reckless tackle was rightly punished.

What's next?

Napoli return to action in Serie A with a Saturday trip to Empoli, while Eintracht travel to RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga on the same day.

Napoli have a "huge opportunity" this season but "can’t let up an inch" in their hunt to win the Serie A title, according to captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo.

I Partenopei have a 13-point lead atop the Italian top flight, aiming to clinch their first Scudetto since the 1989-90 season.

Napoli have won 17 of their 20 league games so far (D2 L1) – including 15 of their last 16 – scoring 48 goals and conceding just 15.

Ahead of their trip to Spezia on Sunday, Di Lorenzo spoke to the official Serie A website, saying: "It would be false of me to say that we don't have a huge opportunity this season, but there's a very long way to go and we can't let up an inch.

"We just need to stay focused on our work, which is what has got us where we are at this point of the season."

It is the first time in the three points for a win era (since 1994-95) that there has been 13 points between the first and second teams in Serie A after 20 games played.

"I never imagined such a start to the season, what we are doing is something really special, and is just rewards for all the hard work we put in during pre-season and the summer, and continue to do now," Di Lorenzo said. 

"From the first day, there was a good feeling among the players in the dressing room, with lots of youngsters wanting to show their value to the squad, especially after a strange summer where some important players left. Our confidence and belief has grown game after game, and it's up to us now to keep it going."

Luciano Spalletti has surprised many with his ability to produce such a dominant team despite losing players such as Lorenzo Insigne, Kalidou Koulibaly, Dries Mertens and Fabian Ruiz among others at the end of last season.

"Our ability to control games and manage possession has developed a lot these past two years. I’d also add that we are more confident, sharper and freer on the field of play; this has grown as the results got better. We’re really happy and just need to keep it up," Di Lorenzo added.

"More than ever, the [Stadio Diego Armando Maradona] this year is giving a massive helping hand. You can feel the passion of the fans who back us to the hilt in every game, you can almost touch it. We can only thank them. And I've also realised the mood in the city depends on our result at the weekend, so this huge responsibility motivates us even more."

Napoli must seize their "unprecedented opportunity" to win the Scudetto after reaching 50 points at the halfway mark of the Serie A season by beating Salernitana, says Luciano Spalletti.

Goals from Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Victor Osimhen helped Napoli to a routine 2-0 victory over the strugglers on Saturday, moving them 12 points clear of second-placed Milan ahead of the Rossoneri's trip to Lazio on Tuesday.

The result made Napoli just the third team to reach 50 points in the first half of a Serie A season, after Juventus (in 2013-14 and 2018-19) and Inter (in 2006-07).

No side has ever failed to win Serie A after reaching a half-century of points at this stage of a campaign, and head coach Spalletti knows Napoli have an incredible opportunity to claim their first league title since 1990. 

"We know that we have an unprecedented opportunity," Spalletti told DAZN after the win. "We must not squander the possibilities we have. We must remain humble and do things professionally."

Napoli had to remain patient before making the breakthrough in Salerno, recording their lowest shot tally in the first half of a Serie A match (two) since February 2021 (one v Atalanta).

The Partenopei were good value for their victory after Di Lorenzo hammered home on the stroke of half-time, however, leading Spalletti to praise the way they improved as the game went on.  

"These matches can be conditioned by us having too much responsibility," he said.

"You have to take the field with the right mentality and always play football well, with the correct rhythm, which is what makes you win the games. 

"In the first half we couldn't find the spaces and indeed we could have risked some dangerous restarts. In the second half, however, everyone did very well."

As well as his first goal of the season in Serie A, Di Lorenzo's opener represented his first league strike on the road since he found the net at Sassuolo in March 2021.

Reflecting on Napoli's incredible campaign to date, the captain credited his team-mates for their response to the pre-season exits of key players including Kalidou Koulibaly, Fabian Ruiz, Lorenzo Insigne and Dries Mertens.

"It's a beautiful first half [of the season]," he said. "We lost important players last summer, but we got off to a great start with a new group. We have to continue like this.

"We've improved a lot in game management. We know that every game will be difficult. Tonight's is a great victory."

Italy captain Leonardo Bonucci has backed Jorginho to remain on penalty duties despite the midfielder's potentially costly miss in Friday's 1-1 draw with Switzerland.

Jorginho fired over the bar from 12 yards in the 90th minute after Ulisses Garcia was adjudged to have nudged over fellow substitute Domenico Berardi inside the box.

The Chelsea man has now missed three penalties in a row for Italy – one against England in the Euro 2020 final shoot-out and two against Switzerland in World Cup 2022 qualifying.

That follows a run of six successful spot-kicks on the spin, and skipper Bonucci is happy for Jorginho to take Italy's next penalty.

"He is our penalty taker and will continue to be," Bonucci told Rai Sport. "Four months ago he scored the decisive penalty against Spain that took us to the Euros final.

"We all make mistakes. Now we must look ahead to our next game if we are to reach the World Cup."

Jorginho's miss came after Giovanni Di Lorenzo had cancelled out fellow right-back Silvan Widmer's drive in a gripping first half at Stadio Olimpico.

Italy would have moved three points clear of Switzerland at the top of Group C had Jorginho converted, but instead they remain level on points with their opponents.

Azzurri goalscorer Di Lorenzo joined Bonucci in defending Jorginho's recent record from the spot.

"He may have missed his last three, but he is a great champion and he's our penalty taker," Di Lorenzo told Rai Sport. "We will all support him to get through this moment."

Italy have a slightly superior goal difference to Switzerland, meaning they only have to match Murat Yakin's side's scoreline in the final round of games if they are to qualify automatically for Qatar 2022 and avoid the play-offs.

European champions Italy travel to Northern Ireland on Monday, while Switzerland are at home to Bulgaria in their concluding qualifier.

Despite his side having won just two of their six matches since lifting the European Championship trophy, Roberto Mancini is confident his side can complete the job in Belfast.

"Against Northern Ireland we start with an advantage, and it's not a small one," Mancini said. "If we play well and score the goals we didn't score today...

"It was a difficult game and we were impacted by the goal we conceded. It's a shame that we didn't score in the second half."

Northern Ireland have not conceded in any of their three home qualifiers this campaign, but Gianluigi Donnarumma insisted his side will head to Windsor Park with the mindset of scoring goals.

"It's normal to be angry, but we don't worry too much because in a few days there is another important match," he said. "We need to recharge our energy immediately and we will be ready to have a great match and win.

"We will head into the next game with the right mentality that is needed to win the match and go to the World Cup. Right now we have to think only about winning and about ourselves.

"We will see what happens in the other match in the group afterwards. We have to think about winning and scoring a few goals. Then we will see what happens."

Jorginho missed a late penalty as Italy were held to a 1-1 draw by Switzerland in Friday's eventful contest at Stadio Olimpico, leaving both sides' automatic qualifying hopes for the 2022 World Cup in the balance. 

There was nothing to separate the teams at the top of Group C in terms of points accrued heading into the contest and that is how it remained after a gripping 90 minutes in Rome. 

The Azzurri fell behind to a powerful Silvan Widmer drive after 11 minutes but hit back through fellow right-back Giovanni Di Lorenzo's header before half-time. 

European champions Italy had a glorious chance to win the game in the 90th minute and take control at the summit, but Jorginho skied his spot-kick to set up a tense final round of fixtures.