North Macedonia vs England LIVE: Euro 2024 qualifier result and reaction as Three Lions held to draw

North Macedonia 1-1 England: The Three Lions end their qualifying campaign unbeaten

Southgate - 'Performance is the priority' against 'wounded' North Macedonia

England were held to a drew in their final Euro 2024 qualifying fixture after another sluggish performance against North Macedonia. It was a frustrating night for the Three Lions who desperately hoped for an improved performance after they edged past Malta 2-0 on Friday.

They started well enough and had a bit of zip and tempo back in their passing which was evidently missing last week. Declan Rice hit the woodwork after just 15 minutes but the hosts grew in confidence. Rico Lewis, making his debut for the senior team, was a bright spark but a stray hand when clearing an aerial ball out of his own box forced a VAR check and North Macedonia won a penalty - Enis Bardhi slotting it past Jordan Pickford on the rebound after the goalkeeper initially saved it.

England went into the break behind but came out strongly once again. Jack Grealish thought he had an equaliser only for it to be ruled out for offside. Harry Kane’s introduction into proceedings resulted in an own goal going against the hosts but the Three Lions were unable to press their advantage and claim the win.

Relive the action from this Euro 2024 qualifier below:

North Macedonia vs England live

• Lacklustre England end Euro 2024 qualifying campaign with a whimper
• FT - England draw with North Macedonia and end qualifying campaign unbeaten
• 59’ GOAL! - Kane’s pressure results in an own goal after his introduction off the bench (MKD 1-1 ENG)
• 49’ NO GOAL! - Grealish’s effort is ruled out for offside (MKD 1-0 ENG)
• 47’ GOAL! - Grealish taps in after Saka dances into the box (MKD 1-1 ENG)
• 41’ GOAL! - Bardhi puts the ball home on the second attempt (MKD 1-0 ENG)
• 39’ PENALTY! - North Macedonia awarded controversial penalty (MKD 0-0 ENG)
• 15’ POST! - Rice’s low effort strikes the woodwork (MKD 0-0 ENG)

[20 November 2023 22:13 · Mike Jones]

Lacklustre England end Euro 2024 qualifying campaign with a whimper

England toiled to a 1-1 draw in North Macedonia as their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign came to a lacklustre close.

Gareth Southgate’s side secured qualification to next summer’s finals in Germany last month and a forgettable draw in Skopje was at least enough to confirm them among the top seeds for December’s draw.

Debutant Rico Lewis endured a night to forget at the Tose Proeski Arena as he conceded a controversial first-half penalty which Jordan Pickford saved before Enis Bardhi turned home the rebound.

Captain Harry Kane came off the bench and played a part in the leveller as Jani Atanasov scored an own goal but England failed to find a winner.

[20 November 2023 22:36 · Mike Jones]

England’s Rico Lewis on Channel Four

“Obviously, overall I’m very happy. Unfortunate with the result and the decision that went against me. It’s a lovely birthday present, to do it with these people around me, it couldn’t have been better.”

[20 November 2023 22:15 · Mike Jones]

Reaction from Harry Kane

England forward Harry Kane spoke to Channel 4 after the match saying: “Difficult game, we knew it would be and it was tough against a decent side playing on a pitch that’s difficult to play our style of football.

“We went 1-0 behind against the run of play with a soft penalty. It was good to get on the pitch, I’m always trying to help the team whether it is 90 minutes or 10 minutes. It was important for us to get a goal back and a shame we couldn’t get a second.

“I think it was an own goal, pretty sure. If anyone was going to get a second it was us.

“Against Malta we were sloppy on the ball, today we got a bit of a sucker-punch with the counter-attack and a soft penalty. We were playing against a team that people expected us to beat five or six nil, but they did a job on Italy in the World Cup qualifiers to knock them out.

“We can be really proud of how the qualifying campaign has gone.”

On debutant Rico Lewis: “I thought he was really good with and without the ball. A shame for the penalty but he can be proud, I thought he was fantastic. He just needs to keep working hard and I’m sure he will be back with us.”

[20 November 2023 22:09 · Mike Jones]

FT North Macedonia 1-1 England

England have benefitted from an own goal in consecutive games (Enrico Pepe for Malta on Friday, Jani Atanasov tonight) for the first time since June 2006 vs Jamaica and Paraguay.

[20 November 2023 22:05 · Mike Jones]

FT North Macedonia 1-1 England

This was only the third time in their last 26 European Championship qualifiers that England have failed to win (won 23, drawn two, lost one).

They’ve gone two consecutive away Euro qualifiers without a win for the first time since March 2007 under Steve McClaren.

[20 November 2023 22:01 · Mike Jones]

FT North Macedonia 1-1 England

England failed to beat a side ranked as low as 66th in the Fifa Rankings for the first time since October 2016 in a goalless draw with Slovenia (67th at the time), in what was Gareth Southgate’s second game in charge.

[20 November 2023 21:57 · Mike Jones]

FT North Macedonia 1-1 England

Elsewhere in Euro 2024 qualifying Italy, the Czech Republic and Slovenia have all secured their spots for next summer’s tournament.

Italy, the reigning European champions, held on for a 0-0 draw against Ukraine to scrape through thanks to a better head-to-head record.

Czech Republic earned a 3-0 win over Moldova, while Slovenia’s 2-1 victory over Kazakhstan takes them to Germany.

[20 November 2023 21:44 · Mike Jones]

Full-time! North Macedonia 1-1 England

90+6 mins: England finish their European Championship qualifying campaign unbeaten. They finish their calender year unbeaten, they’ll be in pot one for the seeding at next summer’s Euros.

By most markers this is a good result but England will be disappointed with the performance again. They cancelled out a controversial penalty thanks to an own goal.

It’s been lacklustre international break and Gareth Southgate has some planning to do for next year.

[20 November 2023 21:41 · Mike Jones]

North Macedonia 1-1 England

90+3 mins: Mark Guehi sends the ball long and picks out Harry Kane. He nods the ball down for Phil Foden but England retreat from the final third.

They’ve not been on it at all in these two matches.

[20 November 2023 21:37 · Mike Jones]

North Macedonia 1-1 England

90 mins: Six minutes of added time to play in Skopje as Marcus Rashford lines up a free kick. He goes for goal, catches it well enough and fires it wide of the far post.

Is there time for a winning goal?