England kept their Euro 2024 campaign going with two dramatic late goals to secure a victory against Slovakia.
With England seemingly out of ideas and virtually out of the tournament in the fifth minute of injury time, Jude Bellingham sent the game into extra time with a spectacular overhead kick to draw England level.
Within a minute of the extra period England located what would prove to be the winning goal, as Harry Kane crashed home a close-range header after a flick across goal by substitute Ivan Toney.
Slovakia had been just 60 seconds from their first tournament quarter-final and Ivan Schranz was once again their goalscorer. He converted another smart finish to put the Slovaks ahead after 25 minutes after good work from David Strelec.
They almost went two ahead early in the second half when Strelec shot from 50 yards after a miscommunication between John Stones and Marc Guehi, with the effort beating Pickford but going just wide of a post.
Although they were outplayed for the majority of normal time England managed to turn it around and will now face Switzerland in Dusseldorf in the quarter-finals next Saturday.
TALKING POINT – Almost 99 and out for Southgate
Everyone connected to this England campaign will be exhaling deeply, after sailing so perilously close to defeat against a spirited and often superior Slovak team in Gelsenkirchen.
Southgate’s next game will be his 100th in charge of England, yet he was so close to being skittled on the brink of a century. Gelsenkirchen 2024 threatened to become Nice 2016, where England had crumbled to a last-16 defeat to Iceland after a group stage of patchy performances.
England avoided seeing the same horror film again, thanks to big moments from two of their marquee players. If Southgate is to keep going after his ton is up, he will surely need to be more proactive in making changes, both before they face Switzerland and no doubt during the game too.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH – Jude Bellingham (England)
In the first half he was England’s most energetic and effective player, but spent the second exasperated as they looked to be slipping to defeat. His spectacular overhead kick saved Southgate’s job and England’s tournament; Bellingham is a player for big moments, and might have more in him yet.
PLAYER RATINGS
England: Pickford 6; Walker 5, Stones 5, Guehi 7, Trippier 6; Mainoo 6, Rice 7, Bellingham 8; Saka 6, Kane 7, Foden 5
SUBS: Palmer 7, Eze 6, Toney 7, Konsa 6, Gallagher 6
Slovakia: Dubravka 7: Pekarik 5, Vavro 6, Skriniar 7, Hancko 6; Kucka 7, Lobotka 7, Duda 6; Schranz 7, Strelec 7, Haraslin 6
SUBS: Suslov 6, Bozenik 7, Benes 7, Bero 6, Gyomber 6, Tupta 6
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
25′ GOAL! ENGLAND 0 SLOVAKIA 1 (SCHRANZ 25) England can’t say they weren’t warned, and it’s that man again! Strelec latches on to a simple flicked on header, and has a shot on from the edge of the box. Instead, he reverse a cute ball to Schranz, bursting into the area. Schranz sets it with one touch to go past Geuhi, and toe pokes the ball past Pickford and into the far corner.
50′ DISALLOWED GOAL! England think they’re level, but no! Kane switches play superbly to Trippier, who squares it into the six yard box for a tap in for Foden. Celebrations ensue, but Foden had crept a yard ahead of Trippier and was offside when the ball was played to him.
54′ CLOSE! Oh my word, what a chance this was! With a free kick on halfway, Geuhi squares the ball to Stones, who isn’t looking; the ball drifts into the centre circle to Strelec, who shoots immediately with Pickford out of his area. Pickford is beaten but the ball curls too much and goes wide of the far post. That was an almost calamitous and surely fatal mistake from England.
81′ OFF THE POST! So close! Rice finds room in the D, and unloads with his right foot; the ball smashes the inside of the post and comes out, where Kane can only send a bouncing shot over the bar.
90+5′ GOAL! ENGLAND 1 (BELLINGHAM 90+5) SLOVAKIA 1 Oh my word, what a goal! With England on the brink, Bellingham steps up. A long throw from Walker is flicked on at the near post by Guehi. It drifts to Bellingham near the penalty spot, who throws himself into a bicycle kick and sends the ball into the bottom corner. Stunning!
91′ GOAL! ENGLAND 2 (KANE 91) SLOVAKIA 1 Oh my days. England win a free kick in the right corner, which Dubravka punches clear again. It breaks to Eze on the edge, who shanks a volley into the floor; Toney heads it back across goal, and Kane is there to power a header past Dubravka from close range! What a turnaround!
105′ CHANCE! Oh my! Bozenik gets the ball to feet in the area, and lays it off to Benes. The first time ball to the back post is a beauty, and Pekarik throws a leg at it but can only send it over the bar from six yards out.