Real legionnaire Bellingham and Bayern striker Kane were inconspicuous for a long time before becoming the match winners. One day after his 21st birthday, Bellingham (90th+5) equalized the Slovakians’ lead through Ivan Schranz (25th) with a spectacular overhead kick, and a few seconds after the start of extra time, Kane (91st) was on hand to head in his 65th international goal.
The two goals probably also saved Gareth Southgate’s job. The team manager can now sit on the English bench for the 100th time against Switzerland. Slovakia, meanwhile, was not rewarded for a courageous and more than equal performance against an English team that was once again not convincing. In their second participation in a European Championship round of 16, they were only a few seconds away from making it into the top eight at a European Championship for the first time.
Kane’s winning goal
Just a few seconds after the start of extra time, Harry Kane scored the winning goal for England. The captain became the match winner for the “Three Lions” with a header (91′).
England still has problems
England manager Gareth Southgate largely stuck to his criticized starting eleven and continued to rely on his four attacking stars Kane, Bellingham, Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka. The only change was again in the defensive midfield. This time, 19-year-old Kobbie Mainoo from Manchester United was allowed to start alongside Declan Rice. Slovakia coach Francesco Calzona, meanwhile, stuck to his starting eleven from the 1-1 draw against Romania in the last group match.
The English had five days to draw the right conclusions after the group phase to revitalize their offensive game. What was needed above all was more verticality and determination. The Slovakians were extremely high up and disrupted the English build-up play in the opponent’s penalty area. The English had problems with this. The underdogs often came close to the goal, with a cross from David Hancko going past friend and foe (5th).
First chance for Slovakia
The Slovakians did not hide from the English and had the first chance. However, David Hancko’s mix of shot and cross went wide of the far corner (5′).
Slovakia rewards itself for courageous performance
The English showed useful passing sequences, but could not find the gap, as the Slovakians hardly offered any space. After a good pass from Bellingham, Trippier chased to the top position. The Slovakians carried out their attacks more consistently and directly and also took advantage of positioning errors by the English. Lukas Haraslin broke through on the left, but was prevented from scoring a useful goal by the team (12th).
The Slovakians appeared confident and did not act like underdogs. Their courage was rewarded, although the English did not make a good impression defensively. Both center-backs, Marc Guehi and John Stones, went for a long ball. The pass was headed on by Juraj Kucka. The Slovakians thus had the upper hand. David Strelec served Schranz, who beat goalkeeper Jordan Pickford with the outside of his foot in the far corner (25′).
Slovakia’s opening goal
Shortly after the English first appeared dangerously in front of the goal, Ivan Schranz escapes the English defenders and pushes the ball past Jordan Pickford into the net (25′).
The English showed no reaction to the deficit. No one in the “Three Lions” team took responsibility. The favorites only got into the penalty area via corners and free kicks, and the Slovakians didn’t let anything happen there. Shortly before half-time, the English were on the offensive, and a deflected shot from Mainoo went wide (45.+3). The build-up to the game simply took too long, and no chances could be created with cross passes. 77 percent possession in the first half, but no shots on goal were a clear indication of this.
English equaliser revoked
Shortly after the break, the English celebrated too early. After their best combination via Kane and Trippier, the ball came to Foden, who pushed the ball over the line. However, the VAR revealed that the ManCity player was just offside when he passed the ball (50th minute). It was also close five minutes later. Bellingham played a short free kick to Stones, who was not ready. Strelec shot from the halfway line, the ball went over Pickford, but also past the right post.
Foden’s offside goal (50th)
England celebrates the equaliser after a good combination. However, the VAR intervenes and Phil Foden’s goal is rightly disallowed for offside (50′).
The English increased the pace, the Slovakians defended themselves in a rustic manner. Time was ticking for England. Southgate made an interesting change. Offensive player Cole Palmer came on for Trippier, Saka moved from the right wing to the left-back position (66th minute). England continued to struggle against the tightly packed Slovakian defense and failed to get a decent shot on goal. The famous final pass was missing.
Dream goal saves England in extra time
In the final phase, bad luck was added to the incompetence. First, goal scorer Kane, who has scored 44 goals for Bayern this season, missed the target, heading the ball wide of the goal (78′). Just three minutes later, Rice shot from 20 metres, but his follow-up shot hit the post. Slovakia’s untested goalkeeper Martin Dubravka would have had no chance (81′).
In the final phase, the Slovakians fought a rearguard action, throwing themselves selflessly against the English. The game went into injury time, with the English still having six minutes to equalize. Even goalkeeper Pickford was already initiating attacks from the “Three Lions” on the halfway line. And then salvation came in the form of a dream goal: Walker threw the ball from the sideline far into the penalty area, defender Guehi headed the ball to Bellingham, who scored with an overhead kick (90.+5).
Bellingham’s celebrated equaliser
With their backs against the wall, the English equalize deep in injury time. Jude Bellingham scores a fantastic overhead kick to make it 1-1 (90+5).
Kane scores 50 seconds after the restart
The game went into extra time, which was interesting in terms of personnel. The English had almost only offensive players on the pitch, while Slovakia had plenty of defensive players. And it was the English who struck just a few seconds after the restart – 50 to be exact. The Slovakian goalkeeper punched away a free kick cross, the ball went via substitutes Eberechi Eze and Ivan Toney to Kane, who did not miss this chance and headed the ball into the lead (91′).
However, the English became more passive again and withdrew – playing with fire. Slovakia had chances, for example Peter Pekarik came just too late after a cross (105th minute). Bellingham and Kane were replaced at half-time and Southgate switched to a 5-4-1 formation. Now it was the English who were putting up a defensive battle, as Slovakia besieged the opponent’s penalty area. Toney missed the chance to decide the game after a counterattack (121st minute). It didn’t matter, as England held on to their shaky victory.
European Championship Round of 16
Sunday:
England – Slovakia 2:1 nV (1:1,0:1)
Gelsenkirchen, SR Meler (TUR).
Torfolge:
0:1 Schranz (25.)
1:1 Bellingham (90.+5)
2:1 Kane (91.)
England: Pickford – Walker, Stones, Guehi, Trippier (66./Palmer) – Mainoo (84./Eze), Rice – Saka, Bellingham (106./Konsa), Foden (94./Toney) – Kane (106./Gallagher )
Slovakia: Dubravka – Pekarik (109./Tupta), Vavro, Skriniar, Hancko – Kucka (81./Bero), Lobotka, Duda (81./Benes) – Schranz (93./Gyömber), Strelec (61./Bozenik), Haraslin (61./Suslov)
Yellow cards: Guehi, Mainoo, Bellingham or Kucka, Skriniar, Pekarik, Vavro, Gyömber
2024-06-30 19:01:41
#UEFA #Euro #Bellingham #Kane #save #England
