EnglandSlovakia
timeiconplayerhomeTimehomeIconhomePlayerscoreawayPlayerawayIconawayTime
25′
Ivan Schranz
0 – 1
Ivan Schranz
25′
90+5′
Jude Bellingham
90+5′
Jude Bellingham
1 – 1
91′
Harry Kane
91′
Harry Kane
2 – 1
Top favourites England have escaped a disgrace. After a game of chasing, it was Jude Bellingham who turned the tide with a phenomenal bicycle kick. The top talent dragged the Three Lions into extra time, in which Harry Kane scored the only goal. Switzerland now awaits in the quarter finals.
Highlights England – Slovakia
England – Slovakia in a nutshell
Who else? The criticism of Southgate’s men has been deafening in recent days, and today too the game was often dismal. Fortunately for the English, they have a Superman in Jude Bellingham, who seems to stand up when necessary. Not that he was good, but it was he who provided the equalizer with an overhead kick and forced extra time.
The Slovaks deservedly led for a long time, but immediately had to deal with a second blow at the beginning of the extra time. Substitute Ivan Toney subtly found the head of Harry Kane, who hit the Slovaks against the canvas.
England were virtually nowhere in regulation time. Apart from a disallowed goal by Foden, it took a Bellingham bicycle kick before they registered a shot on target. Better is definitely possible, as much worse is not possible.
After a shockingly weak group stage, The Three Lions received only one message from home: “We have to do better,” fans and analysts shouted in unison.
Southgate and his men obeyed, with Mainoo as a newcomer in midfield. Wild waves of attacks were the answer, but at the back the door was wide open. In an aggressive opening phase the English also picked up three cards, it was clearly chasing.
Slovakia was happy to see it all happen and flew into the open gaps. Haraslin caused fear in the English uniforms from the left, but it was his neighbor Schranz who deservedly opened the scoring. A wonderful pass from Strelec opened the English line, Belgium killer Ivan Schranz neatly tackled Pickford with an outside foot.
With that goal in their back pocket, Slovakia gave the initiative to England, who started playing walking football again. The ball moved uninspired from left to right, the biggest ‘danger’ coming from set pieces.
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Difficult
A crazy statistic at half-time: when England are behind in the European Championship, they come back. So there is hope for the men from the island.
Perhaps even armed with that knowledge, England pushed after the break. Foden tapped in the equalizer from offside, he and his colleagues kept the pace high in search of a goal.
That didn’t happen, and Mainoo and Stones were almost the unlucky ones. The young midfielder was dreaming about a pass from Stones, which gave Strelec his chance. Pickford turned out to be too far from his goal, so it had to be from far away. The 0-2 went a metre and a bit wide.
With fits and starts, the English broke through the Slovakian wall without scoring. Kane missed a vital chance, Rice aimed the post from far away.
The tabloids had already written their headlines, the op-eds bashing Southgate ready to print.
And then came Jude.
Hey Jude
The phenomenon was little seen in the English game. He was present in his typical macho way, but often as a troublemaker. Until he beat Dubravka with a bicycle kick with about seventy seconds left. Begot on a long throw-in, headed through by Marc Guéhi.
The liberation then, with England taking a huge boost into extra time. Southgate had brought in all his attacking powers and so England were forced to really go looking for the 2-1.
That didn’t last long, substitute Toney found Kane’s head with great feeling in the aftermath of a free kick. He did not miss this indispensable thing.
With the tables turned and all the Slovakian attacking power on the bench, Calzona’s men went looking for the unexpected save. Suslov came dangerously close, with a shot from close range that he sent over the goal.
It was not to be anymore for Slovakia, which has shown itself fantastically this European Championship. Much better than the stuffy English. But it is those duffers who will play the quarter-finals on Saturday. Work to be done, again.
Related:
Step by step
End!
It has been hanging by a thread, but The Three Lions continue to convert. For 94 minutes and counting, the Slovaks seemed to be on their way to a clash against Switzerland, but thanks to Bellingham and Kane, the fairytale did not continue. The English were not good, but in the end the individual class wins over the team.
It is Pickford who takes that last chance, Hancko tried to head it but it is not to be.
One more crossing of the English, with Toney as the final station. It is far away and loud, but also next to it. A last attempt for Slovakia.
There will be 1 minute of added time.
Slovakian chance ends up in the side netting
Two minutes left, Benes throws another cross into the pack. Bero can head it, but does not threaten Pickford.
Benes throws it in front of goal, where Toney heads it away. Eze kicks forward, but in doing so gives possession back to Slovakia for free.
Five minutes left on the clock, and the Slovaks are still ticking around well. Guéhi has to allow a corner.
English escape with fright again
Angry next to it
The Slovaks attack with a lot of fire, with a good one from Bero that falls just short of Bozenik’s head.
The English fans show their worst chance, who would have expected that, and throw an extra ball onto the field. Badly timed fortunately, their compatriots between the lines cleared a free kick well.
Slovakian free kick zooms over
Tupta wants it himself and is allowed, but kicks over. Pickford makes a show of it again.
Gallagher is caught by Tupta about five meters outside his own sixteen. Free kick for the Slovaks, central and quite far.
2024-06-30 19:27:00
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