ENGLAND have secured their spot in the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 after a dramatic 2-1 win against Slovakia.
The Slovaks took the lead in Gelsenkirchen through Ivan Schranz on 25 minutes.
With seconds of the 90 remaining, Bellingham fired the Three Lions to extra-time with a stunning overhead kick.
Captain Harry Kane put England ahead less than a minute after the restart, flipping the last-16 clash on its head.
The Three Lions survived a late onslaught from the Slovaks and will now face Switzerland in the quarter-finals next Saturday.
- Match result: England 2-1 Slovakia (AET)
EURO 2024 FREE BETS AND OFFERS
Follow all the reaction below…
Southgate’s confession
Gareth Southgate admitted he considered subbing Jude Bellingham off, before his dramatic late equaliser saved England from a Euros exit.
Southgate told ITV: “We were thinking should we take him off, but you know he is capable of those sorts of moments. We know in the game itself we needed to better with the ball, we couldn’t find the right solutions in the first half and we did it better in the second.
“Under that pressure they kept probing. In the end it is the old fashioned long throw that gets the goal, those moments can happen when you keep wearing a team down.”
‘Best in England’s history’
Harry Kane has hailed Jude Bellingham’s late overhead kick as one of the ‘best in England’s history.’
“Jude does what Jude does, it was an unbelievable goal and it kept our tournament alive,” he told ITV.
“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.”
Rice puts in shift for boss
Declan Rice often gets overlooked when it comes to the plaudits on England victories.
He does the stuff that allows the creative players the freedom get forward at the other end of the pitch.
The Arsenal midfielder covered some distance out there today and was integral in keeping England in the game right up to the point where Jude Bellingham scored their late equaliser.
They’re not coming home
It is amazing how quickly your fortunes can change in football.
The writing appeared to be on the wall and national team were having thoughts of heading back to a disgruntled country.
Somehow, they managed to turn the game around and break Slovakian hearts in the process.
For now, how they did it doesn’t matter.
All eyes turn to next weekend’s quarter-final with Switzerland and looking to get the job done.
Southgate given reprieve in Gelsenkirchen
As England headed into added time in the game, Gareth Southgate must have felt as though the writing was on the wall.
It seemed his stint as England manager was going to come to a very abrupt end.
Fast forward thirty minutes and he is now plotting a quarter-final against Switzerland.
Pundits and fans will still have a lot of awkward questions they will want answering but for now the dreams of winning the trophy in Germany are still alive and well.
When will England play in the quarter-finals?
England will now face Switzerland in the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 after narrowly beating Slovakia 2-1.
The last 8 clash will take place on Saturday, July 6 at Dusseldorf’s Merkur Spiel-Arena.
England vs Switzerland will kick off at 5pm.
Credit: GETTY Kane answers critics in true style
Many have questioned the contribution of the Bayern Munich striker so far in Euro 2024.
He answered his critics in the best way possible, by scoring the winner that takes them through to the quarter-finals.
Always a danger in the air, he rose to meet Toney’s pass to thunder a header past Dubrovka.
Sore heads for work tomorrow
There will be some pints drunk across the country this evening.
Fans thought at one point that they would be drowning their sorrows but instead the dream of it ‘coming home’ lives on.
Those who had the foresight to book Monday off work will feel like the real winners right now.
Six days to get over the drama that unfolded now before they do it all again next Saturday against Switzerland.
Jude keeps Euro 2024 hopes alive
As it looked as though England were heading home from the tournament in Germany, one moment of magic saved the blushes of a country.
Marc Guehi flicked on a long throw to see Jude Bellingham try an audacious overhead kick to grab a last-gasp equaliser.
The Three Lions talisman does it again as his equaliser made pubs and down the country erupt and set them up for Harry Kane’s winner to send them through to the quarter-finals.
Nobody could deny him his man of the match award.
Highs and lows of supporting England
For the majority of the second half the outlook was bleak for Gareth Southgate and his England team.
Jude Bellingham scored a 96th minute equaliser to take the match to extra-time.
Immediately after the short break, Ivan Toney assisted Harry Kane to give England the lead as the game was turned on its head.
The Three Lions held on to ensure they booked their place in the quarter-finals of Euro 2024.
FT: England 2-1 Slovakia
It is all smiles in the England camp right now.
As they celebrate with the fans, ‘Sweet Caroline’ plays on the stadium speakers.
The late-late show gives English fans some edge-of-the-seat drama in Germany.
View from SunSport’s Tom Barclay in Gelsenkirchen
JUDE BELLINGHAM’S majestic overhead kick deep into stoppage time saved England from a humiliating Euros exit.
Gareth Southgate’s side had been utterly woeful and looked to be heading home thanks to Ivan Schranz’s clever finish.
But Bellingham came to the rescue in the 96th minute, brilliantly firing into the corner after Marc Guehi had flicked on Kyle Walker’s long throw.
Remarkably, it was England’s first shot on target, summing how poor they had been.
But another one came soon after, as 53 seconds into extra-time, Harry Kane headed home from close range to set up a quarter-final with Switzerland.
It was as close a shave as it comes, and if they play like this against the Swiss, then they will be toast.
But for now, fans should just enjoy one of the most dramatic ends to a Three Lions game ever.
FT: England 2-1 Slovakia
The Slovakian manager and Declan Rice have a little altercation after the final whistle.
Gareth Southgate will lead England into a quarter-final against Switzerland.
They will need to play a lot better than they have in Gelsenkirchen today.
FT: England 2-1 Slovakia
The referee brings the game to a close.
England have stolen victory from the jaws of defeat.
Slovakian hearts are broken in Gelsenkirchen.
ET: England 2-1 Slovakia
120. As the ball is swung into the back post Hancko meets it with a header.
He cannot get enough on it to trouble Pickford in the England goal.
England are moments away from the quarter-finals now.
ET: England 2-1 Slovakia
118. It is almost last-chance saloon for Slovakia.
Lobotka plays the ball in behind the English defence but Bozenik drives the ball into the side netting.
He really needed to square that ball across the box.
ET: England 2-1 Slovakia
116. Slovakia are forcing England back into areas they do not want to be.
They force a corner and have a chance to ask some more questions of this English defence.
Time is now running out for Francesco Calzone’s side.
ET: England 2-1 Slovakia
114. England half clear the ball straight to a Slovakian player.
As the ball is lifted into the box, it drops in a very dangerous area.
Konsa manages to hack the ball clear.
Gyomber is penalised for a foul on Toney and shown a yellow card.
ET: England 2-1 Slovakia
112. Tupta strikes the ball but it drifts over the crossbar.
Chance wasted for the Slovakians.
England breathe a sigh of relief.
ET: England 2-1 Slovakia
110. Gallagher gives away a foul in a dangerous position.
Slovakia have a free kick some twenty-five yards out in the centre of the goal.
They need to try and work Pickford at the very least here.
ET: England 2-1 Slovakia
108. Slovakia seem to have lost their spark somewhat.
The two English goals really seems to have knocked the wind out of them.
We will see whether they have enough in the tank to create one more clear-cut chance in this game.
ET: England 2-1 Slovakia
106. Slovakia come forward but the ball deflects into the grateful arms of Jordan Pickford.
England are sitting deep now and not looking to get forward at all.
This could be risky with fifteen minutes of extra time remaining.
ET: England 2-1 Slovakia
Bellingham and Kane are replaced by Konsa and Gallagher.
Southgate is looking to defend what they have now.
This has not been a good performance by any stretch of the imagination but sometimes you have to find a way to win when you are not at your best.
Kick-off: England 2-1 Slovakia
We are back underway in extra time.
Slovakia are the ones with it all to do now.
They get the second-half of extra time started.
HT: England 2-1 Slovakia
The referee brings the first half of extra time to a close.
Harry Kane’s goal has put England one step closer to a quarter-final with Switzerland.
Slovakia have fifteen minutes to change their fortunes now.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
