After Jude Bellingham scored an injury-time equaliser, captain Harry Kane sealed a 2-1 extra-time win for England against Slovakia to book a place in the Euro 2024 quarterfinals.
England is one of the most controversial teams in this year’s tournament. Even though they are undefeated and top the table, they still receive heavy criticism from fans due to their somewhat pragmatic playing style.
Going into the round of 16 against underdogs Slovakia, Gareth Southgate’s side were expected to be a little more composed and less calculating. But there was little change. They had 63% possession but did little damage. They even let Ivan Schranz score in midway through the first half, leading to pressure and often hopeless attacks against a disciplined Slovakian defence.
It seemed that Gareth Southgate and his team would follow reigning champions Italy home, but in the seventh minute of injury time, Jude Bellingham became the hero, saving the Euro 2020 runners-up from danger. From Kyle Walker’s throw-in, centre-back Marc Guehi headed the ball back. Bellingham took a step back and then jumped up to hook the ball to the ground, leaving goalkeeper Martin Dubravka rooted to the spot as he watched the ball go into the right corner of the goal.
Bellingham’s superb overhead kick helped England escape defeat in stoppage time. Photo: Reuters
If it weren’t for this goal, Bellingham would have been criticised at the end of the game. The Real Madrid midfielder was lacklustre in both halves, drifting too wide and losing possession on several occasions. However, at crucial moments, Bellingham’s star quality still spoke for itself. This was Bellingham’s second goal at Euro 2024, after the only goal in the group stage win over Serbia. After scoring, Bellingham ran to the corner post, said something to the cameras and then did his signature goal celebration, spreading his arms wide.
The equalizer helped England untie the psychological knot. In the first minute of extra time, Harry Kane headed home from close range to put England ahead. This goal marked the substitution players. Eberechi Eze’s volley turned into a pass for Ivan Toney to head in and assist Kane. Southgate was also rewarded for keeping Kane on the field, although, like Bellingham, the England captain was a big disappointment.
The best chance for Kane in the two main halves came in the 78th minute, from Phil Foden’s free kick. The ball found Kane in an unmarked position, but he headed wide of the post. This is also a rare situation where Foden and Kane find each other. Previously, in the 50th minute, Kane’s move back to play the ball created space for Kieran Trippier to run up and cross for Foden to tap the ball into the empty net. But this goal was canceled because of offside. Among the opportunities missed by England was Declan Rice’s long-range shot that bounced off the post in the 81st minute.
Although Southgate’s comeback had a certain mark, the England coach once again showed a lack of tactical flexibility. Only changing one position, when placing Kobbie Mainoo in the starting position to replace Conor Gallagher, England did not seem to anticipate that Slovakia would actively participate and be ready to play a double play. They panicked when pressed and continuously escaped defeat. Lukas Haraslin gave Kyle Walker a nightmare when he twice overtook the defender and caused Jordan Pickford’s goal to wobble.
Schranz’s shot with the outside of his right foot helped Slovakia open the score. Photo: Reuters
Slovakia’s bravery helped them score first. From Peter Pekarik’s long pass, Juraj Kucka beat Guehi in the air, allowing David Strelec to get the ball on the edge of the box. The player passed the ball to Schranz on the right wing. Guehi followed closely behind but only dared to make a slight impact, watching helplessly as the Slovakian striker beat Pickford after a moment of faltering.
This was the first time England had conceded a goal at Euro 2024 and the way they reacted to the situation made fans even more worried. Before Bellingham’s equaliser, the Three Lions had not had a single shot on target against Slovakia. They even had fewer shots than their opponents (9 compared to 10), despite having 64% possession throughout the match. England’s dominance was perhaps only shown through the number of corners they took (9 compared to 1), but they also had no special plan to optimize set-piece situations.
Kane shared his joy with Bellingham after scoring in extra time. Photo: AP
This victory helped England reach the quarter-finals of four consecutive major tournaments for the first time in history. They will face Switzerland on July 6. This is also the first quarter-final pair to be determined at Euro 2024. Slovakia gave the audience an exciting match, but a goal in injury time knocked them down. Despite bringing to the tournament the squad with the highest average age, Slovakia always plays a fiery pressing game. This style of play eroded their physical strength, so after being led in extra time, Slovakia could not overturn the situation even though they had plenty of time.
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