Will the defending champion and the runner-up both exit the tournament in the Round of 16? This question lingered in fans' minds as England's match against Slovakia entered stoppage time. But Jude Bellingham, England's chosen one, changed everything. His bicycle kick equalizer saved England, and Harry Kane's extra-time goal sealed a dramatic 2-1 win for the lackluster Three Lions, propelling them to the quarterfinals. Could this be the hallmark of champions?
England's Lackluster Group Stage
England's performance in the group stage of this Euro Cup was far from convincing. Despite beating Serbia in their opener, Southgate's team managed only five shots on goal, prompting critics to claim the Three Lions were overrated. Subsequent draws with Denmark and Slovenia were equally uninspiring. England's five billion-euro forwards contributed just two goals in three matches, making their 1.5 billion-euro squad look like a mere shadow of its potential, dampening hopes for their title chances.
Dramatic Turnaround Against Slovakia
Despite their underwhelming group stage, England topped their group and avoided the tournament's tougher half. Speculations abounded that they might finally showcase their true potential against Slovakia in the knockout stage. However, in Gelsenkirchen, England's stars seemed to sleepwalk through most of the match, teetering on the brink of elimination until stoppage time.
In their Round of 16 clash against Slovakia, England's billion-euro players – Kane, Saka, Bellingham, Foden, and Rice – all started but struggled from the outset. Slovakia, throwing caution to the wind, created several close calls for England. In the 25th minute, Schranz scored with an outside-of-the-foot shot, giving Slovakia an unexpected lead.
This was the first time England had trailed in this Euro Cup, but it did not immediately wake them up. In a disjointed first half, only Bellingham, heavily criticized in the group stage, played with any flair, posing the only real threat for England in the first 45 minutes. Early in the second half, Foden thought he had scored, only for his goal to be ruled out for offside. Slovakia's Strelec nearly scored with a long-range chip, almost turning Pickford into a villain.
Bellingham and Kane to the Rescue
With no breakthrough in sight, Southgate reshuffled his tactics, bringing on Palmer for Trippier and moving Saka to left-back, prompting a more aggressive England attack. Rice's shot struck the post, and Kane's effort sailed over the bar. As time ticked away and a major upset loomed, a magical moment arrived – in the 95th minute, Guehi headed a corner into the path of Bellingham, who executed a stunning bicycle kick to equalize.
Bellingham carried his match-saving aura from Real Madrid to England, sending Three Lions fans into a frenzy. This was a life-saving goal, a testament to England's resilience. At 1-1, the match moved into extra time. England, having escaped disaster, quickly capitalized, with Kane heading in a goal in the first minute of extra time, catching Slovakia off guard.
From 1-0 to 1-2, from the brink of victory to the edge of defeat, Slovakia threw everything forward in extra time. However, England, now leading, became as solid as the old Italian teams, and the scoreline remained unchanged. Bellingham played the hero, and Kane found his moment of redemption. England advanced to the quarterfinals for the fourth consecutive major tournament. They had been on the verge of going home, but now football is coming home.
Slovakia's Pride and England's Challenge Ahead
Post-match, Slovakia's coach Calzona expressed pride in his team: "I want to say again how proud I am of my players. They played fantastically against all opponents, creating scoring opportunities and playing attacking football. They are disappointed because we were so close to advancing, but that's football."
This is football – brutal, epic football. Slovakia may be out, but they earned the world's respect with their stylish performances, defeating Belgium in the group stage and pushing England to the brink in the knockout round. England, through this hard-fought battle, should recognize the harsh realities of knockout football. Even in a relatively easier bracket, they cannot afford complacency. As for Southgate, his stars have saved him countless times; it's high time he rethinks his tactics.
With defending champions Italy eliminated and last tournament's runners-up England narrowly advancing, the Euro Cup's cruelty is evident. The real battle begins now. In the quarterfinals, the Three Lions will face Switzerland, who knocked out Italy. What new drama awaits?
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