England vs North Macedonia LIVE: Result and reaction from Euro 2024 qualifier as Bukayo Saka nets hat-trick
England 7-0 North Macedonia: Bukayo Saka’s hat-trick was the icing on the cake for ruthless England
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Your support makes all the difference.England earned another win in their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign with a ruthless display against North Macedonia at Old Trafford. The visitors had never lost in England and for 20 minutes looked up to the task of keeping the Three Lions quiet despite the gulf in quality.
Harry Kane’s opener, turned in from a Luke Shaw pass, opened the floodgates and Gareth Southgate’s men feasted on a plethora of chances. No more so than Bukayo Saka, the brightest rising star of England’s next cohort. He opened his own account with a fine twist and finish inside the box before adding two more after half-time to earn a first career hat-trick.
He is forming a cut-throat partnership with Trent Alexander-Arnold, once again pushed into midfield, which could become the foundation stone of Southgate’s next European Championship campaign.
There were impressive performances elsewhere too. Marcus Rashford was a constant threat on the left and became the first Mancheser United player to score for England at Old Trafford since David Beckham. He made a strong case to start ahead of Jack Grealish and Raheem Sterling tonight and there was also a first international goal for substitute Kalvin Phillips who was left with a tap-in inside the box.
Relive all the action as England battered North Macedonia at Old Trafford:
Penalty to England!
England 6-0 North Macedonia
72 mins: John Stones is pulled down in the box and Harry Kane has the chance to score again.
England 6-0 North Macedonia
69 mins: Callum Wilson is ready to come on for England as well. He scored a penalty against Malta and should come on to replace Harry Kane for 20 minutes or so.
GOAL! England 6-0 North Macedonia (Phillips, 64’)
64 mins: Kalvin Phillips makes it six! His first international goal comes from a Jack Grealish cross. He looks for Kane who nods one down to the vacant Phillips with the midfielder left with a tap in.
England 5-0 North Macedonia
60 mins: This has been a perfect display from England. They’ve dominated, as they should, and have proven how good they can be against weaker opposition.
England 5-0 North Macedonia
57 mins: Kalvin Phillips, Phil Foden, Connor Gallagher and Jack Grealish are all introduced by Gareth Southgate with Marcus Rashford, Jordan Henderson, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka replaced.
Their are standing ovations for Rashford and Saka as they depart the pitch.
England 5-0 North Macedonia
54 mins: Aged 21 years 287 days, Bukayo Saka is the youngest player - and first Arsenal player - to score an England men’s hat-trick since Theo Walcott (19y 178d) v Croatia in September 2008.
51 GOAL! England 5-0 North Macedonia (Saka, 51’)
51 mins: It’s a hat-trick for Bukayo Saka - his first in international football.
Harry Kane flicks the ball through the middle and plays in Saka who touches the ball into the box before slotting it confidently past the goalkeeper!
GOAL! England 4-0 North Macedonia (Saka, 47’)
47 mins: It’s taken Bukayo Saka just two minutes to score again. Trent Alexander-Arnold lifts the ball over the top and picks out Bukayo Saka.
He chests it down and cuts inside before smashing a lovely strike into the far corner!
Second half: England 3-0 North Macedonia
Kick off: North Macedonia get the second half underway at Old Trafford. Stefan Ristovski was taken off at half-time with Egzon Bejtulai drop on at right back.
No changes for England.
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