England in a Rush to Secure Group Triumph
Third outing, third underwhelming display: England continues to mystify and disappoint at the Euro 2020, managing to steer clear of a clash against Germany for now. Slovenia locked in a draw to advance to the Round of 16 with a scoreless tie against England.
Top contenders England clinched the group victory with another lackluster performance at the Euro 2020, narrowly avoiding an early encounter with hosts Germany. Managed by Gareth Southgate, the team struggled past underdog Slovenia in Cologne, but benefited from the outcome of the concurrent match between Denmark and Serbia (0:0). With 41,536 spectators in attendance, Harry Kane and his teammates delivered another sluggish performance, criticism at home mounts.
Slovenia earned a draw that secured their place in the Round of 16, ranking third behind Denmark's German opponent. With identical points and goal difference, the Fair-Play Hustler tipped the scales in favor of the 1992 European Championship winners.
The Three Lions are yet to display title potential. England must significantly step up their game before the Round of 16 on Sunday (6:00 PM EST) in Gelsenkirchen to avoid an early exit, three years after reaching the final at Wembley. The potential opponent then would be the Netherlands, who suffered an early loss to Austria 2:3.
Jovial Times in Cologne
Ten thousand English fans had a splendid summer day on the Rhine prior to the game. Already in the afternoon, the bars and restaurants were bustling. The supporters of the Three Lions were clearly in the majority and sung the classic "Dancing in the Dark" by Bruce Springsteen, a staple of this EM alongside the hopping Dutch fans in orange.
A few die-hard fans stirred up some nostalgia in Cologne, where England had already clinched the group win at the 2006 World Cup. The objective was the same. After several days of harsh criticism from the media, Southgate did what he had been doing since taking charge in 2016: He made minimal changes. Wearing his usual white polo shirt and just one substitution - Conor Gallagher for Trent Alexander-Arnold - after the 1:1 against Denmark, enthusiasm for the already secured knockout phase was expected.
However, much of the earlier lackluster performances lingered, with only the results being acceptable for the Euro 2020 favorites. Jude Bellingham and John Stones made poor passes, followed by one mistake after another. And although the clear underdog from Slovenia only needed one more point, the team led by Matjaz Kek hesitated to attack due to the passive opponent. Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko (5th minute) missed the initial opportunity with a header.
Cheers echo for a corner kick
England's superiority flashed occasionally, such as after 20 minutes: After a stunning sequence over Declan Rice and Phil Foden, Saka scored what appeared to be the opening goal. But Foden had been offside before.
Kane struggled against the sturdy central defenders of the Slovenians, his initial attempts were blocked or save by goalkeeper Jan Oblak. Gallagher and Kane missed a sharp pass just before halftime, it was England's best chance. An English halftime lead after another subpar 45 minutes would not have been warranted. The performance was even more apathetic than in the previous games.
Southgate brought on youngster Kobbie Mainoo, who was visibly upset with his previous bit-part role. However, not much transpired on the field. The English fans loudly cheered every long ball their team struggled with against the physical opponent, due to the scarcity of notable attacks. A powerful shot from Rice (73.) came awfully close to missing the long corner by a hair.
Read also:
England's potential opponent in the Round of 16 could be the Netherlands, who are recovering from an early loss to Austria. Slovenia's impressive draw against England in the group stage secured their place in the European Football Championship 2024 qualifiers, as they finished third behind Denmark, who will face Germany.
