Buts : Bellingham (90e+5) and Kane (91e) for the Three Lions // Schranz (25e) for Repre
On the verge of rupture, England exchanged its helplessness for a celestial force to take out Slovakia, in the round of 16 of the German Euro (2-1, after extra time). Still as bland and inconsistent, Gareth Southgate’s men may have finally launched their competition thanks to a legendary goal from the (possible) future Ballon d’Or.
Coup de Schranz
The game starts as a mirror image of the English Euro: very laboriously for the Three Lions. Slovakia settled into the English camp, pressed high and quickly found themselves in a good position to hope to create a surprise. Marc Guéhi and Kobbie Mainoo were very quickly warned, thus playing with a sword of Damocles hanging over their heads. Kieran Trippier even saved his mates in front of Ivan Schranz (12e). England are non-existent as well as insipid, so Schranz tries his luck again from the right of the area, with the outside of the right, following a deflection from Juraj Kucka. Bingo (0-1, 25e), to general astonishment, but to merit. The end of the first period finally belongs to the players dressed in white, but in vain (77% possession, no shots on target). The trap closes slowly.
Sur le gong, ring the Bell’
After the intermission, Phil Foden quickly thought he would equalize following a service from Kieran Trippier in front of the empty goal, but an offside position was logically signaled against him (50e). The Repre believes in his star, and David Strelec even tries to deceive Jordan Pickford with a lob from the halfway line, following an absence of John Stones on a back pass (55e). The English fail to get into rhythm, yet Harry Kane has the ball to equalize with a header in front of goal. He does nothing with it (78e). Shortly after, Declan Rice sent his first shot of the tournament… onto the right post of Martin Dúbravka (81e). While the axe is close for the flock of the perfidious Albion, Marc Guéhi deflects the ball of the last chance, and Jude Bellingham rises to place an acrobatic overhead kick which will go down in history. (1-1, 90e+5).
Obviously the turning point of the match, the day after his birthday. At the start of extra time, Harry Kane scored with a header from close range following a deflection from the powerful incoming Ivan Toney (2-1, 91e). If Slovakia does not admit defeat, the fifth pawn of the service game in the direct elimination phase of a Euro (i.e. as many as Antoine Griezmann) qualifies England, which will challenge Switzerland on July 6, in Düsseldorf.
Kane and Bellingham, hearts of lions
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