During the short break before extra time, there was a taste of the proverbial English humor in the queue in front of a men’s toilet. He didn’t have to worry about England actually winning the game, said a fan in a West Ham United shirt to a fan in a Slovakian shirt. Because Gareth Southgate was probably thinking about what he could do to prevent that. “Trust me,” said the English fan and patted the Slovakian on the shoulder. “Trust me.”
As soon as he said this, loud cheers filled the Schalke Arena: Extra time had already started, not even a minute old – when Harry Kane scored the 2-1 with a header. And that was it: England, one of the biggest disappointments of this European Championship up to that point, moved into the quarter-finals and will now face Switzerland in Düsseldorf next Saturday.
Neither the once again very poor performance against Slovakia could change that – nor could the coach, who has become the target of more and more malice and ridicule over the past two weeks. Whether his many critics like it or not, Southgate and his team are still in the race.
Last-second overhead kick dream goal – England’s spectacular rescue in video
The English national team averts the embarrassment against Slovakia at the last second. Bellingham shoots the Three Lions into extra time with an overhead kick, then Kane turns the game around. Watch the highlights of the game here in the video.
However, the English only have one man to thank for this: Jude Bellingham, who in the fifth and final minute of injury time scored with an overhead kick from Kyle Walker, which was cleverly extended by Marc Guehi, into the Slovakian goal. It was one of the most beautiful goals of the tournament and for the English, who had gone behind in the 25th minute through Ivan Schranz. With the score so close to being eliminated from the European Championship, it was also a relief.
“We were twenty seconds before takeoff, then everything turned around”
The surprise of having once again escaped death was written all over the faces of the Real Madrid star and his colleagues. When Bellingham raised his arms, he initially looked almost incredulous, then he even seemed to be cursing to himself.
After the final whistle, when all the pressure should have been off him, Bellingham was still agitated and torn between happiness and anger at the ongoing criticism of the past few weeks.
“We were twenty seconds away from take-off, then everything turned around. You never want to experience such a feeling, but when it happens, it’s just great,” he said. His goal was one of the most beautiful in his career, and it could have been “a kickstart” for England to finally find their feet in this tournament. “Playing for England is nice, but also stressful, with all the rubbish being spread here,” explained the 21-year-old. This probably refers above all to the English media and the numerous experts who have targeted the team and especially the coach.
Satisfaction in the fifth minute of injury time
Source: AFP/ADRIAN DENNIS
The man who was most heavily criticized was relieved after the final whistle – even if Southgate tried not to let it show. He had always expected the equalizer to come, said the 53-year-old. Shortly before Walker’s throw-in, which preceded Bellingham’s stroke of genius, he said to Ivan Toney, who he was about to substitute: “This could be the moment when we turn the game around.” And that’s how it happened.
Unplanned attacks and problems with the opponent’s pressing
Southgate also said that before extra time he reminded the players of the 1966 World Cup, England’s last and only triumph at a major tournament. There had also been problems in the group stage then, and the pressure had also been enormous.
At least Southgate showed a lucky hand with his substitutions. Tonay headed the ball in for Kane’s winning goal in the first minute of extra time, sparking a change in mood that was hardly thought possible. The fans, who had been booing and jeering for a long time, were now singing “Sweet Caroline.”
After the final whistle, the sometimes haphazard attacks, the big problems with Slovakia’s pressing and the high number of inaccurate passes were forgotten. Because despite all of that, England is still alive. “It’s quite clear that we have to improve. And there will be criticism again. But nobody can deny the spirit of our players,” said Southgate.
The man who kept England in the tournament sees it the same way. “We were under a lot of pressure, but we showed character,” said Bellingham. But that alone may not be enough against Switzerland.
