A reprieve for Gareth Southgate. Unable to catch the Slovaks out throughout regulation time, his England managed to come back at the end of added time, thanks to a saving overhead kick from Jude Bellingham (90th + 5). If Harry Kane gave his team the advantage in the first minute of extra time (91st), the Three Lions suffered until the end against a valiant Slovakia (2-1). They will still be present in the quarter-finals, against Switzerland, on July 6 (6 p.m.).
The match: 2-1 after extra time
Pushed around from the start, England struggled to break through the midfield, while Slovakia took the initiative. Very solid in duels, especially in the air, and physically dominant, the “Repre” put their opponents in difficulty and quickly created transition situations.
Very well served by Strelec, Haraslin came to challenge Pickford but his shot was blocked at the last minute by Guéhi (12th). More enterprising, this beautiful Slovakia found an opening. Following a long ball deflected by Kucka, Strelec delayed before serving Schranz at the right time. The Sparta Prague winger beat Pickford from close range (26th), scoring his 3rd goal in the competition.
Often unable to change pace, to cross the solid Slovak lines, and vulnerable to losing the ball, the Three Lions did not have much to eat, apart from a strike from Mainoo to the above (23rd). Despite the pressure becoming a little more intense at the end of the first period, they returned to the locker room without any shots on target.
The English have long been ineffective
In front, Slovakia did not change their game plan, continuing to play quite high and never releasing the pressure. England still managed to find openings at the start of the second half. After a good direction from Kane, Trippier crossed for Foden, who finished in an offside position (50th).
Gareth Southgate’s men pushed, but were almost caught out by Strelec from midfield, after an improbable lapse in concentration from Stones (55th). The English still lacked efficiency, unable to find the back of the net on a header from Kane that went wide (79th), then on a shot from Rice that crashed against the post (81st).
As hope faded, Jude Bellingham came to play the role of saviour, with what was England’s first shot on target of the match. The Madrid star took a deflection from Guéhi on a long throw-in, with a superb acrobatic overhead kick that completely changed the course of the match (90th + 5).
Indeed, Harry Kane barely needed a minute to give England the lead with a header in extra time, perfectly served by another header deflection from Ivan Toney (91st). The Slovaks, increasingly struggling with intensity, did not give up, and Pekarik came close to equalizing on a cross from Bozenik sent over (105th). In vain. England held on and got by, despite a final miss from Toney in the last minute (120th+1).
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Jude Bellingham scored the latest in a Euro elimination match, in the 90th +5, a minute later than Sylvain Wiltord’s equalizer against Italy in the Euro 2000 final.
