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England’s friendly clash with Italy was due to be held at Wembley on March 27 but has been cancelled due to the coronavirus.
Here, PA looks back at some classic encounters between the Three Lions and the Azzurri.
Tom Finney scored a brace in a masterful performances as England thrashed their hosts for a stylish and destructive victory. Still England’s record win over Italy, this was a potent
performance and result – rounded off by goals for Stan Mortensen and Tommy Lawton.
Sir Bobby Moore was unable to bring the curtain down on his glittering England career in a manner befitting its greatest exploits, as the hosts endured a galling defeat. Less than a month
after Poland had dashed England’s chances of World Cup qualification, here was the World Cup-winning captain bowing out with a frustrating loss.
Captain Paul Ince invoked memories of Terry Butcher’s famed 1989 head wound by ending this World Cup qualifier in similarly blood-soaked fashion. The goalless draw allowed Glenn Hoddle’s
England to squeeze ahead of Italy for automatic qualification for the 1998 World Cup in France. Ince’s bandaged head and blood-stained shirt proved eerily reminiscent of Butcher’s horrid
head injury, that he had played on through when England drew 0-0 with Sweden in Stockholm. This was also to become Paul Gascoigne’s last competitive match for England, with the midfield star
later overlooked for a World Cup berth.
Another in the almost-endless stream of English penalty shoot-out defeats, this time Roy Hodgson’s side were floored by Andrea Pirlo’s impudent Panenka spot-kick. A regimented England
battled manfully to preserve a stalemate at the end of extra time – but after that it was the same old penalty story.
Mario Balotelli bagged the winner in this World Cup match and one week later England exited a World Cup at the group stages for the first time since 1958. Daniel Sturridge had cancelled out
Claudio Marchisio’s opener before Balotelli intervened. Manager Roy Hodgson lamented a “very, very bitter pill” for England to swallow amid an insipid exit.
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