Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane pulled England’s Euro 2024 campaign out of the fire with a dramatic turnaround against Slovakia in Gelsenkirchen.
Back at the ground where Portugal beat the Three Lions on penalties to knock them out of the 2006 World Cup, this similarly gifted England vintage were on course for a humiliation to rank alongside their Iceland debacle at Euro 2016 after Ivan Schranz gave Slovakia a deserved 25th-minute lead with his third goal of the competition.
Leading England for the 99th time, Gareth Southgate looked sure to be heading out of a job deep into stoppage time at the Veltins Arena. Phil Foden had a goal chalked off for offside, Kane missed a sitter and Declan Rice hit the post, but much of the their play was horribly listless once more.
Then, after throwing Ivan Toney on as an extra striker, Southgate saw Kyle Walker launch a long-throw that Marc Guehi flicked on and Real Madrid star Bellingham converted with a fantastic overhead kick.
Slovakia were still scrambled as extra time got underway and, when fellow substitute Eberechi Eze sliced a shot, Toney nodded across goal for Kane to capitalise and join Bellingham on two goals for the tournament.
Southgate replaced both goalscorers at halftime in extra time and England dropped perilously deep, as they did after taking group-stage leads against Serbia and Denmark, a perplexing move given Slovakia had made defensive substitution of their own and failed to offer much threat since Schranz’s third goal of Euro 2024.
Switzerland are up next for a Dusseldorf quarterfinal, having produced performances of composure and coherence far beyond anything England have mustered in Germany. No team worth their salt will fear this England, but they will fear the idea of these England players pulling something together out of the shambles. Thanks to Bellingham and Kane, two of many below-par superstars, they live to fight another day.
