What a night at Euro 2024! 🌟 England fans were on the edge of their seats as the Three Lions roared back to avoid a shock exit against Slovakia, winning 2-1 in extra time. Meanwhile, Spain cruised past Georgia with a 4-1 victory, setting up a blockbuster quarterfinal against hosts Germany! ⚽
England's rollercoaster match in Gelsenkirchen had everyone holding their breath. Slovakia took the lead with Ivan Schranz netting in the 25th minute, and it looked like history might repeat itself with another early exit reminiscent of Euro 2016's Iceland upset. 😱
Phil Foden thought he'd equalized, but VAR had other plans, disallowing the goal for offside. Time was ticking away, and England needed a hero. Enter Jude Bellingham! In the 95th minute, Bellingham pulled off an audacious overhead kick, leveling the score in dramatic fashion. The stadium erupted! 🎉
With momentum on their side, England didn't waste time in extra time. Just a minute in, Harry Kane connected with Ivan Toney's header, smashing home what would be the winning goal. That's Kane's second of the tournament, and what a crucial one it was! 🦁
\"That's the desire and attitude from the boys. It looked tough for a second there, but you keep going,\" Kane said post-match. \"Jude does what Jude does and what an unbelievable goal.\" 👏
Coach Gareth Southgate acknowledged the team's struggle but praised their spirit: \"We want to be better, but the spirit and character was there for everybody to see. We're still in there fighting.\" 💪
On the flip side, Slovakia's coach Francesco Calzona couldn't hide his pride: \"My team showed a lot out there. They were great, gave away very little and came close to going through. I'm very proud.\" 🤝
Over in another thrilling clash, Spain dashed Georgia's fairy-tale run with a commanding 4-1 win. The victory means Spain will face Germany in the next round, and we can't wait! 🥳
Next up for England is Switzerland in the quarterfinals on Saturday in Düsseldorf. Mark your calendars, football fans—this tournament is heating up! 🔥
Reference(s):
England avoid shock at Euro 2024 as Spain ease into quarterfinals
cgtn.com
