England Beats Slovakia to Reach Euro 2024 Quarterfinals
England secured a place in the Euro 2024 quarterfinals with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Slovakia, thanks to a last-gasp goal from Jude Bellingham and a game-winner from Harry Kane.
Slovakia took an early lead in the 25th minute with a goal from Ivan Schranz, setting up a strong defensive front that frustrated England for most of the match. England struggled to break through Slovakia's defense and did not manage a shot on target until Bellingham's incredible bicycle kick in the 95th minute, which tied the game.
Moments after Bellingham's equalizer, Kane scored the decisive goal in the 91st minute, securing England's comeback win. This victory marked Kane's second goal of the tournament.
Bellingham's goal came at a crucial time for England, as he had been struggling in his No. 10 role throughout the tournament. His performance in this match demonstrated why he is considered one of the top midfielders in the world.
Following the goals, England manager Gareth Southgate substituted both Bellingham and Kane for more defensive players to protect their lead in the final minutes of extra time. Despite Slovakia's attempts to apply pressure, England's defense held firm, setting up a quarterfinal matchup against Switzerland.
England's match against Slovakia was characterized by their difficulty in breaking down the opposition's defense. After Schranz's goal, Slovakia set up two defensive lines around the penalty box, challenging England to find a way through.
In the 50th minute, England thought they had equalized through Phil Foden, but his goal was rightly ruled offside. Foden was ahead of the last defender when he scored, and the replay confirmed the offside call.
Until Bellingham's late goal, it seemed likely that England's Euro 2024 campaign would end in disappointment, continuing their history of high-profile failures since their last major trophy at the 1966 World Cup.
Despite being pre-tournament favorites, England had an underwhelming group stage, finishing with five points and two goals from three matches. However, their five points were enough to win Group D, placing them in a favorable knockout-round bracket away from Spain, Germany, France, and Portugal.
Sunday's victory over Slovakia was more of an escape than a sign of dominance, but in a single-elimination tournament, sometimes just finding a way to win is enough. Thanks to the individual brilliance of Bellingham and Kane, England managed to secure their spot in the quarterfinals.
