Football With a Bellingham kick in the last game: England avoids failure against Slovakia and suffers to advance to the Euro

An epic goal from the midfielder in the 95th minute forced the duel into extra time. There, in the end, the British won 2-1 against a depleted Slovakian team. The lacklustre team led by Gareth Southgate is in the quarter-finals and aiming for its first continental crown.

In Gelsenkirchen there was a breathtaking match. Slovakia surprised and eliminated powerful England at the Veltins-Arena. It was the big blow of the European Cup, but a nerve-wracking Bellingham goal, from a bicycle kick, on the final play of the match forced extra time. There the British had more physical rest and won 2-1, going from absolute failure to chasing the dream of obtaining their first continental crown.

In the preview, it would have been planned as a simple duel, but it was quite the opposite. At least on paper, there was a huge difference. However, this was not reflected in the development of the tournament. Gareth Southgate has not found the equipment needed to fit the pieces of a team that, name by name, was predicted as one of the tournament favourites, but rather the best candidate. . The Halcones, for their part, came into the match as a complex, rocky team, marked by their combative attitude. They have already suffered a hard blow after obtaining an important victory against Belgium.

Slovakia started by pressing high and forcing a split, looking instead for a physical duel, but the mess was quickly overcome thanks to English talent and technique. However, the associative capacity was not enough to deepen due to poor execution and poor decisions in the final third.

The Slovakian arrangement was simpler. After their first line was overwhelmed, they fell back, always keeping a short team. Amidst tactical order and protection, they sought to do damage with quick transitions. They seemed comfortable with the British who were constantly moving the ball around, without much danger.

There have already been a few warnings due to the Falcons’ counter-attacks, but England have not found the formula to settle down on the pitch. In the 25th minute, Ivan Schranz made a quick attack from the top and created a surprise.

He sparked an uproar on the Slovak bench in front of the stunned look of the Three Lions team. The audience reacted instantly and signs of desperation were noticeable. Long possessions, which no longer had any intention and achieved nothing, began to be booed, which became the trend.

Around the time

At the start of the extra period, the English response seemed to be coming. Foden sealed an excellent team move, but the goal was disallowed due to an advanced position. Another blow for the British, even if they were beginning to show signs of improvement, at least emotionally. With little football, they managed to push Slovakia beyond their goal.

Southgate, logically, was forced to move the board and come out with everything in search of the result. He took out Trippier and brought in Cole Palmer, who was incredibly wasted throughout the Euros after a brilliant season. The substitution forced Saka to play left back, in a position he had not used since the start of his career. As the minutes passed, the attackers began to accumulate: Eze and Toney also entered.

A stick of rice fed more the Slovak illusion, which eventually dissipated with Bellingham’s nerve-wracking goal. After clearing and clearing the expeditions towards the zone, the equalizing goal came on the last play of the match. In the fifth minute of stoppage time, the midfielder scored an incredible goal. With a bicycle kick at the buzzer, he sent the game into overtime. “Hey Jude”, a legendary Beatles song, began to resonate in the stands of the stadium after a goal that will remain in the collective memory.

For some it will be luck, while for others it will be a sample of the individual hierarchy of one of the best footballers in the world. The heart, character and self-esteem of some English stars were stronger than disorder and technical mismanagement.

The outcome was predictable, because in Slovakia the physical and emotional wear and tear was evident. Actually, Harry Kane buried all dreams with a header in the first minute of extra time. It was enough to avoid the failure of one of the candidates for Euro 2024 . The disappointment of the Slovak players was contrasted with a team who, despite a lackluster match, find themselves in the round of the best eight and looking to be crowned for the first time at continental level.

Bellingham and Kane celebrate for England. Photo: REUTERS/Bernadett Szabo.

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Source: Latercera

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