Bellingham’s masterpiece goal saved England from a sensational exit, while Kane brought victory to Southgate’s team
Head coach England national team Gareth Southgate commented on the super-dramatic, strong-willed victory over Slovakia (2:1) in the 1/8 finals 2024 European Championship.
“We are not at all surprised, they have a good team and they are well trained. We didn’t defend long balls very well and had a hard time breaking through the high press. They had to work incredibly hard but we knew one goal would change everything and I always believed we would get it, maybe not too late, but it was a night where I wasn’t ready to go home. Obviously the players felt the same way.”
“This is a very important moment for the team. It’s one thing to win a game with all your star players, but the fact that other players can help us get over that mark and feel trusted is very important to us.”
“We will continue to be asked to do so and we understand that, but we have some qualities that will help us stay in the competition. I am very proud of the spirit and leadership of the players.”
“Harry and Jude, with 15 minutes left in the game you look at them from a physical point of view and wonder if we can freshen up those positions. But you know what these players are capable of and that’s why we’ve stuck with them.”
Let us recall that the England team miraculously escaped the match with Slovakia. Having conceded in the first half from Ivan Schranz, Gareth Southgate’s team besieged the opponent’s goal in vain, not making a single shot on target in 90 minutes.
When there was a minute and a half left before the loud sensation, Bellingham took on the role of the savior of the nation. The Real Madrid midfielder struck a masterpiece overhead shot after Marc Guehi’s discount and sent the game into overtime. At the same time, Jude, who turned 21 yesterday, became the youngest football player to score in the European Championship playoffs for England.
Immediately after play restarted, the Three Lions took the lead through Harry Kane’s efforts and went on to win the game. Gareth Southgate’s team will face Switzerland in the quarter-finals on July 6.
Source: Sportarena
I’m Todderic Kirkman, a journalist and author for athletistic. I specialize in covering all news related to sports, ranging from basketball to football and everything in between. With over 10 years of experience in the industry, I have become an invaluable asset to my team. My ambition is to bring the most up-to-date information on sports topics around the world.
