North Macedonia 1–1 England
by Layth Yousif
from the Todor Proeski National Arena in Skopje

ENGLAND came from behind to earn a point against North Macedonia in Skopje on Monday evening.

The Balkan hosts were awarded a disputed spot-kick four minutes before the interval when England debutant Rico Lewis caught Bojan Miovski's with his hand as he jumped up for a header.

North Macedonia captain Enis Bardhi pounced to put his side ahead from the rebound, after his penalty was saved by Jordan Pickford.

An underwhelming England team equalised in the 59th minute when Phil Foden's corner deflected in off Jani Atanasov under pressure from Harry Kane, who had come on moments earlier.

The draw sealed England's place in pot one for the draw for next summer's European Championship in Germany as one of the best five group winners, as they eased to the top of Group C with 20 points from eight qualifying matches.

Gareth Southgate selected Manchester City teenager Rico Lewis to make his debut as the Three Lions boss shuffled his pack in the Western Balkans after England’s comfortable 2-0 victory over Malta.

Arsenal pair Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka both started, as did Jack Grealish, while Harry Kane was benched after grabbing his 62nd goal at Wembley on Friday, with Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins starting up front.

It was Watkins who could have put England ahead in the opening move of the match, but his effort was deflected behind Stole Dimitrievski’s near post for a corner in the opening seconds. 

Lewis, City’s precocious young defender - who had already slotted into an inverted position higher up the pitch - followed up Grealish’s corner with an effort that flew high above the bar.

Despite the talented 18-year-old already picking up a treble under Pep Guardiola, it would surely have been beyond the realms of fantasy for the young defender to score in the first minute of his debut – and 24 hours before his 19th birthday too.

As it was, the Bury-born No3 settled in immediately, dovetailing well with City colleague Phil Foden down the left flank, as Rice fired in a powerful low shot that cannoned off Dimitrievski’s post and away on 14 minutes.

Perhaps the 29-year-old Rayo Vallecano keeper was due a modicum of luck after being between the sticks during the 7-0 thrashing at the hands of the Three Lions at Old Trafford back in June.

There were plenty of boos from the home support in Skopje after the cumbersome Harry Maguire made contact with Ezgjan Alioski in the box. The louds appeals coming after Maguire’s sloppy pass out hit Enis Bardhi which sparked the attack – even if referee Filip Glova was unmoved and waved away protests for a penalty.

Despite the let off the fact remained that Maguire is simply not the player he was during the run to the 2020 European Championship final, with memories still fresh of the Manchester United centre-back allowing Malta a chance early on at Wembley. Not good enough.

Drama was to follow when referee Glova awarded a penalty to North Macedonia after VAR directed him to take a look on the monitor after Lewis made contact with Miovski. Up stepped Bardhi who placed the ball to Jordan Pickford’s left, but the Everton keeper showed excellent anticipation to save well.

However, Bardhi, Trabzonspor’s 28-year-old attacking midfielder, reacted first to the follow up and emphatically fire past Pickford to make it 1-0 four minutes before the break.

More frustration was to follow for Southgate, when No11 Grealish had his effort ruled out by VAR shortly after the interval, as the equally frustrated England fans behind the goal sung ‘F*** VAR’.

Not long afterwards Trent Alexander-Arnold was shown the yellow card for a display of frustration. Southgate then opted to replace the ineffective Watkins with Harry Kane.

It was Kane who was the protagonist for the equaliser via his presence in the box moments later, following Foden’s corner. But despite the Skopje PA awarding the goal to the Bayern Munich striker, the last touch appeared to come off No21 Atanasov.

As the clock ticked towards the end of a successful qualifying campaign, the feeling was one very much of 'job done' here in the Balkans, despite an underwhelming display, albeit one that took place in a dead rubber. 

No wonder the travelling England fans massed in the away end in Skopje sang: “We’re going to Germany,” after a commanding qualifying campaign from start to finish.

But first, the delicious anticipation of the full draw for Euro 2024 on Saturday, December 2 at the iconic Elbphilharmonie concert hall in Hamburg.

Let’s hope by the time England host Brazil and Belgium at Wembley in the spring this side can shake off the shackles imposed on them by the inherently cautious Southgate.

For if they do, next summer promises to be one to savour.