England reach the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 with a miracle. Southgate’s national team beat Slovakia 2-1 in the round of 16 in Gelsenkirchen. Slovakia, ahead with a goal by Schranz in the 25th minute, were caught up in the dying seconds. England equalised in the 95th minute with an overhead kick by Bellingham and in the first minute of extra time found the 2-1 with a header by Kane.
Stop that Jude Bellingham. pic.twitter.com/R4vZqr3xyp
— Stop That Football (@stopthatfooty) June 30, 2024
On 6 July, England face Switzerland, who eliminated Italy in the round of 16.
The match
Slovakia started with their foot on the accelerator. In the 4th minute, on a free kick by Lobotka, Strelec tried a winning shot but it didn’t hit the target. One minute later, Calzona’s national team was dangerous again, Hancko tried a diagonal shot, but the ball went just wide. In the 8th minute, Kucka tried to cross in a dangerous ball but couldn’t find any teammates ready to shoot at goal. In the 12th minute, Haraslin was one-on-one in open play with Pickford but his conclusion was blocked by a great save by Guehi. The national team of the three lions was in trouble and also received three yellow cards in less than twenty minutes: Guehi, Mainoo and Bellingham.
Slovakia deservedly took the lead in the 25th minute. Strelec tamed a difficult ball on the edge of the area and rewarded Schranz’s run with a nice through ball, who didn’t miss when one-on-one with Pisckford. England tried to react and in the 32nd minute Saka reached the byline and put the ball on the far post, Foden just missed. In the 34th minute Bellingham tried with a personal initiative, slaloming into the area and crossing deflected into a corner by Pekarik. In injury time Mainoo took the initiative, freeing himself from his marker and shooting from the edge of the area, the ball deflected into a corner.
England started the second half with a different attitude, constantly keeping the ball with over 70% possession. In the 5th minute, a great pass from Kane to Trippier who crossed it into the middle where Foden scored with an empty net but in an offside position. In the 7th minute, a shot from Kane, deflected by Vavro who risked wrong-footing his own goalkeeper. In the 9th minute, a risk for Southgate’s boys: another incorrect clearance, Strelec tries from midfield, the ball goes just wide with Pickford practically beaten. In the 16th minute, the first changes for Calzona: Bozenik and Suslov come on, Haraslin and Strelec go off.
In the 21st minute, Southgate responded by raising his centre of gravity with Palmer in place of Trippier and switching to a three-man defence. In the 23rd minute, the Chelsea striker made his presence felt: he came in from the right and crossed with his left foot, Skriniar saved in a corner. In the 33rd minute, a chance for Kane: Foden’s free kick, the Bayern striker broke away and headed the ball just wide from two steps away. In the 36th minute, a great shot from the edge of the area by Rice, the ball hit the post, Kane dived in but shot high. Shortly after, Mainoo came off and Eze came on. On the other side, Benes and Bero came in to replace Kucka and Duda. The end of regulation time was an English siege that was rewarded in the 95th minute with an overhead kick by Bellingham, headed in by Guéhi after a corner.
England started the first half of extra time very strongly, Kane, all alone inside the penalty area, beat Dubravka again and gave Southgate’s national team the lead, finding his first goal at Euro 2024. Bellingham and Kane’s one-two was a knockout blow for Slovakia, who didn’t give up and in the 15th minute of the first extra time they came close to equalising with Pekarik who sent the ball high in a split from two steps. At the start of the second extra time, Southgate spared the two heroes of the match Bellingham and Kane by replacing them with Konsa and Gallagher. In the 6th minute, Tupta’s free kick went high over the crossbar. In the final minutes, Slovakia attempted a siege to try to take the match to penalties and in the 12th minute they had a chance with Posinik but his shot ended up on the outside of the net. England held out and when the referee blew the final whistle they could celebrate, breathing a sigh of relief for having averted danger.
