England continued their Euro 2024 campaign with two dramatic late goals to secure victory against Slovakia.
MAN OF THE MATCH – JUDE BELLINGHAM (ENGLAND)
He was England’s most energetic and effective player in the first half, but spent the second in exasperation as they looked set to collapse. His spectacular overhead kick saved Southgate his job and the England tournament; Bellingham is a big-time player, and he may still have more in him.
PLAYER RATINGS
England: Pickford 6; Walker 5, Stones 5, Guehi 7, Trippie 6; Mainoo 6, Rice 7, Bellingham 8; Saka 6, Kane 7, Foden 5
SCORES: Palmer 7, Eze 6, Toney 7, Konsa 6, Gallagher 6
Slovakia: Dubravka 7: Pekarik 5, Vavro 6, Škriniar 7, Hančko 6; Kučka 7, Lobotka 7, Duda 6; Šranc 7, Strelec 7, Haraslin 6
DATA: Suslov 6, Boženik 7, Beneš 7, Bero 6, Gjomber 6, Tupta 6
THE MOST IMPORTANT PARTS OF THE MATCH
25′ GOAL! ENGLAND 0 SLOVAKIA 1 (ŠRANC 25) England can’t say they weren’t warned, and yet there’s that man! The shooter latched on to a simple header and shoots from the edge of the penalty area. Instead, he flipped a sweet ball to Schranc, flying into the area. Schranz places the ball with one touch and it goes past Guehi and the toe pokes the ball past Pickford into the far corner.
50′ GOAL CANCELED! England think they are on par, but no! Kane makes a great change of play to Trippier, who puts it in 6 yards and feeds Foden. Celebrations ensued, but Foden slipped a yard in front of Trippier and was offside when the ball was headed to him.
54′ CLOSED! Oh, my word, what a chance this was! With a free-kick on the halfway line, Geuhy sends the ball to Stones, who isn’t looking; the ball flies into the center of the circle to the Shooter, who immediately shoots with Pickford outside his area. Pickford is beaten but the ball bends too much and goes wide of the far post. It was a near-disastrous and certainly fatal mistake by England.
81′ Off the post! So close to! Rice finds space in D, and unloads with his right foot; the ball breaks the inside of the post and goes out, where Kane can only send a shot over the bar.
90+5′ GOAL! ENGLAND 1 (BELLINGHAM 90+5) SLOVAKIA 1 Oh wow, what a goal! With England on the brink, Bellingham is stepping up. Long throw from Walker to the near post to Guehi. It goes to Bellingham near the penalty spot, which is thrown into a bicycle kick and sends the ball into the bottom corner. Amazing!
91′ GOAL! ENGLAND 2 (KANE 91) SLOVAKIA 1 About my days. England get a free kick in the right corner, which Dubravka clears again. He makes his way to Eze on the edge, who hits the floor with a kick; Toni heads it back over the goal, and Kane is there to hit Dubravka with his head from close range! What a turnaround!
105′ CHANCE! Oh my God! Boženik gets the ball on his feet in the penalty area and throws it to Beneš. First time ball to the back post is nice and Pekarik gets a foot on it but can only send it over the bar from six yards.