Harry Kane

Harry Kane scored a penalty to become England's all-time record goalscorer in their 2-1 defeat of Italy, with the defender Luke Shaw also shown a red card.

From back to front – and that included the goalkeeper, Jordan Pickford – the passing was on point. The turnaround was remarkable. Italy could not get near to them on the ball, the combinations up through the thirds easy on the eye. Italy are, of course, the reigning European champions, although it feels as if their second failure in a row to qualify for the World Cup is defining them more at present. A win is a win and this was a big one, England’s most difficult assignment of the group passed already. He was central to England’s barnstorming start as they controlled the tempo and the ball, looking extremely confident on it. It was Kane to Grealish and he did well to release Jude Bellingham, who advanced and unloaded a vicious drive that Gianluigi Donnarumma tipped over. What a moment it was for the captain. When they play at this stadium – especially this season, the Scudetto so close that everyone in town has started to prepare for the party of the millennium, connecting the buildings in those narrow streets with blue and white sheets – it can feel like an out-of-body experience. The rather key difference this time was that England had scored the first two goals. It ought to have been 3-0 in first-half stoppage time only for Jack Grealish to miscue wide of a gaping goal. It was a night when a Harry Kane penalty conversion positively overflowed with narrative drama.