After winning Group C in unconvincing fashion, the Euro 2020 runners-up were on the brink of a humiliating exit akin to Iceland eight years ago in what would almost certainly have been Gareth Southgate’s last match. England looked set to fail in their bid to cancel out Ivan Schranz’s opener for wily Slovakia, with Phil Foden seeing a goal ruled out for offside by the VAR, Harry Kane wasting a great chance and Declan Rice hitting a post. But Real Madrid star Bellingham scored a jaw-dropping leveller five minutes into stoppage time, with his overhead kick followed by a Kane header early in extra time as Southgate’s side won 2-1.
“It was a roller coaster,” Pickford said back at England’s Blankenhain basecamp on Monday. “I said in the pre-match interview it’s not how you play, you’ve got to show resilience and it’s about just winning the match and that’s what we did. Went into the trenches and we came out the other side.
“You’ve got two superstars, Jude and Harry, and they’ve come up with the goods. “Jude, golden boy, again with the overhead kick to keep us in the game, keep us in the tournament. “But we never say die, and that’s what it was last night.
A roller coaster but we got over the line.” A quarter-final against Switzerland is the reward for England after a Bellingham-inspired turnaround that made headlines and will live long in the memory. Special goal.
Special player. pic.twitter.
com/yLZfetL2bi — England (@England) July 1, 2024 “N.
