In a hard-fought match, England managed to secure the highest possible group-stage seeding at Euro 2024 by drawing 1-1 away at North Macedonia.
Gareth Southgate’s team, who had previously beaten their opponents 7-0 in June, found themselves trailing after Enis Bardhi scored a rebounded penalty resulting from a controversial call to penalise Rico Lewis, a debutant, for an upper-body foul in the box.
Despite this setback, England continued to press forward and nearly equalized in the first half when Declan Rice hit the post.
They were then denied a goal early in the second half when Jack Grealish’s effort was ruled out by VAR.
It was left to captain Harry Kane, who had been brought on as a substitute, to make the crucial difference.
His pressure forced an own goal by Jani Atanasov, which levelled the scoreline after Phil Foden’s corner kick.
This result meant that England ended their 2023 season by securing a Pot 1 spot for the Euro 2024 draw, which will take place on December 2.
Despite the lacklustre second-half display, England’s determination to fight back and secure the necessary point was commendable.
This draw will give them a much-needed boost as they prepare for the upcoming Euro 2024 tournament.
