Malta v England
UEFA European Qualifier
7.45pm GMT, Friday 16 June 2023
Live on Channel 4
Ta'Qali National Stadium, Valletta

Match Stats

● Malta have lost all five of their matches against England in all competitions by an aggregate score of 14-1, with this the first meeting since a 4-0 England win in September 2017 in a World Cup qualifier.

● The only goal England have conceded in five previous games against Malta was an own goal by goalkeeper Richard Wright in a 2-1 friendly victory in Ta’Qali in June 2000.

● Across 226 matches in World Cup and European Championship qualifiers, Malta have only been victorious on seven occasions (D26 L193) and just once in their last 21 games (D2 L18), a 3-0 home win against Cyprus in September 2021.

● England have won 19 of their last 20 European Championship qualifying matches – the exception was a 2-1 away defeat at Czech Republic in October 2019.

● Malta have lost their last three matches in all competitions, after losing just three of their previous eight games (W4 D1 L3). They last suffered more consecutive defeats between March 2019 and September 2020 (10 in a row).

● England are unbeaten in their last 29 matches in all competitions when scoring the first goal (W27 D2), keeping a clean sheet in 24 of those games. The last time they lost when scoring first was against the Czech Republic in October 2019.

● England captain and record scorer Harry Kane has scored in all but two of his 15 appearances in European Championship qualifying, scoring 17 goals in total and finding the net in his last ten appearances (14 goals). Kane has also found the net in his last seven away appearances for club and country, netting eight goals.

● Only Mike Trésor (24) registered more assists in the 2022-23 Belgian Jupiler Pro League season than Malta’s Teddy Teuma did for Union SG (12), while only Trésor (109) created more chances than Teuma (87).

Head to head

The Three Lions have met Malta on five previous occasions over the years, with England enjoying a 100 per cent win ratio against the Red Falcons.

Our first game came back in February 1971, when it ended in a 1-0 draw in Gzira courtesy of a first-half goal from Martin Peters.

Malta were also the first opposition for current England boss Gareth Southgate, as he took charge as interim manager for our game at Wembley in October 2016.

You can see details of our last three games below:-

Malta 0-4 England, 1 September 2017, Ta'Qali National Stadium 

England 2-0 Malta, 8 October 2016, Wembley Stadium 

Malta 1-2 England, 3 June 2000, Ta'Qali National Stadium

England Squad News

Ticket Information

 

How to watch or stream

Gareth Southgate has named his team for the game, with a strong feel to the starting eleven.

There's a new-look role for Trent Alexander-Arnold, who wears the number ten shirt, while there's also a start for Marc Guehi in the centre of defence and James Maddison in attack.

England: 1 Jordan Pickford, 2 Kieran Trippier, 3 Luke Shaw, 4 Declan Rice, 5 Marc Guehi, 6 Harry Maguire, 7 Bukayo Saka, 8 Jordan Henderson, 9 Harry Kane (c), 10 Trent Alexander-Arnold, 11 James Maddison

Substitutes: 12 Kyle Walker, 13 Aaron Ramsdale, 14 John Stones, 15 Kalvin Phillips, 16 Jack Grealish, 17 Tyrone Mings, 18 Marcus Rashford, 19 Conor Gallagher, 20 Phil Foden, 21 Ebere Eze, 22 Sam Johnstone, 23 Callum Wilson

England maintained their unblemished UEFA EURO 2024 qualifying record with ease on Friday night as Gareth Southgate’s side eased to a 4-0 victory over hosts Malta at the Ta’ Qali National Stadium.

Ferdinando Apap’s own goal put England in front inside ten minutes, with Trent Alexander-Arnold’s long-range effort and a Harry Kane penalty making it 3-0 before half time.

And substitute Callum Wilson scored England’s fourth with just ten minutes left, also slotting home from the spot.

England were on top early on with Kane having the first real opening six minutes in, his low shot across goal stopped by Maltese ‘keeper Henry Bonello.

And three minutes after that the Three Lions were in front, Apap turning Bukayo Saka’s cross into his own net under pressure from Kane.

Despite facing immense pressure, the hosts did well to nullify England in the following 15 minutes, with a James Maddison free-kick easily dealt with by Bonello the most obvious opportunity.

However, just before the half hour mark, Alexander-Arnold capped his strong start to the match with a stunning strike, powering home from 25 yards out.

It was 3-0 just three minutes later through record goalscorer Kane, who smashed a penalty into the centre of the goal after being brought down chasing the rebound of a Declan Rice effort.

Saka nearly made it four shortly before half-time through England’s final chance of the half, though his fierce strike was palmed away by Bonello.

Maddison proved a bright spark throughout the match and had the first real chance of the second half, though his shot had any sting taken out of it by Malta’s defence and Bonello was able to claim comfortably.

And Kane nearly added his second just shy of the hour mark, though he scuffed his attempted chip and saw his shot drift wide.

Substitutes Marcus Rashford and Wilson threatened after they were brought on but the Maltese defence proved tricky to break down, as Eberechi Eze was brought on for his senior debut with 20 minutes left.

But England were ultimately able to add another from the penalty spot, after a handball was given against Malta captain Steve Borg following a VAR check.

Wilson, whose cross Borg had handled just inside the 18-yard box, stepped up to take on penalty duties in the absence of the substituted Kane and fired into the corner to round off a comfortable evening.

England: 1. Jordan Pickford; 2. Kieran Trippier, 5. Marc Guehi, 6. Harry Maguire, 3. Luke Shaw; 4. Declan Rice, 8. Jordan Henderson, 10. Trent Alexander-Arnold; 7. Bukayo Saka, 9. Harry Kane (c), 11. James Maddison.

Substitutes: 20. Phil Foden for Saka 46’, 17. Tyrone Mings for Shaw 60’, 18. Marcus Rashford for Henderson 60’, 23. Callum Wilson for Kane 60’, 21. Eberechi Eze for Maddison 70’

Substitutes not used: 12. Kyle Walker, 13. Aaron Ramsdale, 14. John Stones, 15. Kalvin Phillips, 16. Jack Grealish, 19. Conor Gallagher, 22. Sam Johnstone

Goals: Apap (OG) 9’ Alexander-Arnold 28’, Kane (p) 31’

Malta: 1. Henry Bonello; 13. Ferdinando Apap, 4. Steve Borg, 2. Cain Attard; 7. Joseph Mbong, 6. Matthew Guillaumier, 10. Teddy Teuma, 19. Bjorn Kristensen, 22. Zach Muscat; 9. Kyrian Nwoko, 11. Jodi Jones

Substitutes: 20. Yannick Yankam for Guillaumier 46’, 17. Nikolai Muscat for Kristensen 60’, 14. Alexander Satariano for Nwoko 60’, 18. Jurgen Degabriele for Jones 77’, 15. Juan Corbalan for Attard 88’

Substitutes not used: 12. Matthew Grech, 16. Matthias Debono, 3. Ryan Camenzuli, 5. Kurt Shaw, 8. Jake Grech, 21. Shaun Dimech, 23. Jean Borg