Jude Bellingham’s stoppage-time overhead kick saved Gareth Southgate’s England from a humiliating last-16 exit as the Euro 2024 hopefuls overcame Slovakia 2-1 in extra time.
A summer that promised so much looked set to end in heartbreak and humiliation for a team that went within a penalty shoot-out of winning the last edition three years ago.
Ivan Schranz put wily, well-drilled Slovakia on course for their biggest win as an independent nation, only for Bellingham to leave jaws on the floor and disbelieving players on the deck in Gelsenkirchen.
The Real Madrid midfielder’s overhead kick five minutes into stoppage time sent the match to extra time, with captain Harry Kane’s header seeing Southgate’s side through this tricky last-16 clash.
Bellingham said: “You’re 30 seconds away from going home, feeling like you’ve let your nation down, and one kick of the ball and everything’s great. It’s a feeling I don’t want to be in, but when it comes, it’s a great feeling.”
Kane praised his fellow goalscorer. “Jude does what Jude does, it was an unbelievable goal and it kept our tournament alive,” he said.
“I think it’s one of the best (goals) in our country’s history. What a player he is. He works so hard for the team.”
England coach Gareth Southgate would have copped the brunt of a hostile nation had his team surrendered to a Slovakia team that scraped through third in their group.
Southgate told BBC Radio 5 Live: “With 15 minutes to go you wonder if [Bellingham] is out on his feet, but him and Harry Kane produce those moments and that is why you don’t make changes when people are clamouring for more changes.
“I’ve said for a long time he is doing unbelievably well. I think I understand his world better than a lot of people. His world is incredibly different.
“He’s had an incredible impact even though he is only a young man. He will say things and react to things like a young man will, but can create moments that change big games and that’s what he has done here.”
England midfielder Declan Rice joined the chorus of praise, saying: “It was a big moment for a 21-year-old. It takes a lot of guts to do something like that. People don’t understand what you have to go through to get over the line.”
Slovakia coach Francesco Calzona said: “We played a great game against a world-class team and one of the favourites. We allowed England very little, we almost advanced. Unfortunately, we didn’t make it. In extra time, we spent half the time in our opponents’ half. I am very proud of my team.”
Switzerland await in the quarter-finals on Saturday and England will look to build on the spirit shown towards the end of a match that had looked set to end in a result akin to the Iceland debacle at Euro 2016.
Southgate has overseen vast improvements since taking over shortly after that tournament eight years ago, but the pressure and scrutiny will be as hot as ever after squeaking into the last eight and on to his 100th match at the helm.
Reflecting on a nerve-shredding match for England, Kane said: “That’s the desire and attitude from the boys and staff and everyone involved. It looked tough for a second there but we kept going.”
Spain over power Georgia
Spain recovered from conceding an early own-goal to beat Georgia 4-1 for a spot in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals, ending one of the tournament’s most compelling underdog stories.
Goals from midfielders Rodri and Fabian Ruiz brought Spain back into the game after Robin Le Normand’s own-goal in the 18th minute had given Georgia a shock lead in Cologne.
Nico Williams and Dani OImo put the game out of Georgia’s reach with two more goals late in the game as heavy rain fell.
Spain will play hosts Germany in the quarter-finals on Friday (local time) in Stuttgart.
The loss ends Georgia’s first major tournament campaign, which included a 2-0 upset win over Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal.
Despite the lopsided score on Sunday (Monday AEST), Georgia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili had another standout game with nine saves to prevent a rout.
Spain had beaten Georgia 7-1 in qualifying last year, but this game was a close contest until the last 20 minutes and testament to Georgia’s rapid improvement under coach Willy Sagnol.
Playing their fourth game of Euro 2024, Spain had yet to concede a goal all tournament.
That soon changed when Otar Kakabadze surged down the right flank for Georgia and crossed low. Le Normand chested the ball past his own goalkeeper, with the defender apparently distracted by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia arriving behind him to meet the cross.
Spain took their time to get back into the game, but Rodri – back from a one-game suspension – levelled the scores in the 39th minute with a low shot from just outside the box.
Georgia remained a threat on the counter, including with an audacious shot from the halfway line by Kvaratskhelia, but Spain midfielder Ruiz made it 2-1 in the 51st minute when he rose unmarked to meet a cross from the 16-year-old Lamine Yamal.
Needing a goal, Georgia had to open up their compact defensive formation and conceded twice more, with Williams scoring in the 75th minute and substitute Olmo eight minutes later.
After the final whistle, Georgia’s players gathered in front of their fans for a slow-clap chant reminiscent of another European Championship underdog – Iceland – when they beat England in 2016.
Spain have won two of their three previous meetings at the Euros with Germany, the last match their 1-0 victory in the 2008 final.
The two sides drew 1-1 at the 2022 World Cup, and four years ago Spain thrashed Germany 6-0 in the Nations League.
Debutants Georgia had a strong tournament culminating in the 2-0 win against Portugal that got them into the knockout stage, but there was not another miracle on the night against Spain’s flair, even though they gave their all once again.