England just about made it through to the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 after a remarkable comeback to thwart heartbroken Slovakia 2-1 in Gelsenkirchen. Jude Bellingham netted a sublime last-gasp bicycle kick to force extra time against the odds after another massively disappointing Three Lions display that looked to be sending the pre-tournament favourites crashing to an embarrassing last-16 exit that had echoes of their humiliation by Iceland at Euro 2016.
The end appeared likely nigh for Gareth Southgate’s eight-year reign at the helm before that piece of brilliance from Real Madrid superstar Bellingham that cancelled out Ivan Schranz’s first-half goal, with England then completing the most dramatic turnaround early in extra time thanks to a back-post header from captain Harry Kane. Slovakia applied a lot of pressure after that in a bid to save their dreams of a first quarter-final berth, but could not find a crucial equaliser of their own as England just held on.
Switzerland now await for Southgate’s men in the last eight in Dusseldorf next Saturday night after they stunned defending champions Italy 2-0 in Berlin. Follow England vs Slovakia reaction live below, with expert analysis from Standard Sport reporters Dan Kilpatrick and Malik Ouzia at Arena AufSchalke.
