LEVERKUSEN: Italy qualified for Euro 2024 finals after drawing 0-0 against Ukraine in their final Group C qualifier – although the Ukrainians can still secure a spot through the playoffs.
European champions Italy finished second, level on 14 points with third-placed Ukraine but with a better head-to-head record after a tense affair that could have gone either way.
The Italians ended six points behind England, who had sealed qualification after beating Italy 3-1 at Wembley in October.
Ukraine, who have never beaten Italy, had strong claims for a penalty after Bryan Cristante’s clumsy challenge on Mykhailo Mudryk in stoppage time but nothing was given.
They can still book a spot at a fourth consecutive European Championship via the playoffs in March. The playoff draw will take place on Thursday in Nyon.
The match got off to a lively start but both goalkeepers – Italy’s Gianluigi Donnarumma and Ukraine’s Anatoliy Trubin – held firm in an entertaining clash at BayArena in Leverkusen.
Italy, who will make their eighth consecutive appearance at the Euros, had most possession and created more chances but Ukraine remained composed as they looked to counter-attack.
Italy’s Federico Chiesa had a chance to break the deadlock in the seventh minute but his effort from inside the box flew narrowly over the bar before Donnarumma denied Ukraine an opener seven minutes later by keeping out Georgiy Sudakov’s low shot.
Defender Giovanni Di Lorenzo then nearly nodded home for Italy from a corner just before the half-hour mark before Trubin pulled off a stunning save to deny Davide Frattesi.
Italy continued to dominate after the break but Ukraine’s probing increased and Mudryk came close in the 66th minute only to be denied by Donnarumma who pulled off another fine save.
Harry Kane insisted England should be proud of their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign despite a flat end to the year with a 1-1 draw in North Macedonia.
England topped their group, finishing six points ahead of Italy, to book their place in Germany with two games to spare.
Kane told Channel 4: “Difficult game, we knew it would be and it was tough against a decent side playing on a pitch that is difficult to play our style of football on.
“We went 1-0 behind against the run of play with a soft penalty. It was good to get on the pitch. It was important for us to get a goal back and a shame we couldn’t get a second.”
England equalised seconds after Kane came on as a substitute and pressured Jani Atanasov into scoring an own goal.
The hosts had been awarded a controversial penalty at the end of the first half when England debutant Rico Lewis caught striker Bojan Miovski with his hand as he jumped up for a header.
North Macedonia captain Enis Bardhi put his side ahead from the rebound after his spot-kick was saved by England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
England equalised in the 59th minute when Phil Foden’s corner deflected in off Atanasov under pressure from Kane.
The draw sealed England’s place in pot one for the draw for next summer’s European Championship in Germany as one of the top five group winners, with 20 points from eight qualifying matches.
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