The sort of moment that makes it all worth it, and maybe helps England find their true worth as a team.
If Gareth Southgate’s side had to put everyone through one of the worst displays of his entire tenure – that also looked set to end it – that at least produced one of the great tournament moments. Jude Bellingham‘s divine intervention also keeps them in Euro 2024, after a scarcely credible 2-1 extra-time win over Slovakia. “Who else?” the 21-year-old said in celebrating his spectacular 95th-minute winner. How else? Can there be a better way to offer a moment of salvation than a spectacular overhead kick with almost the final touch of the game?
To say it was something out of nothing would be extreme understatement, given that this was maybe the entire Southgate era saved, and that out of a poor personal and collective performance.
This was why the manager kept Bellingham on. He is capable of doing that. England should still be doing much more of it. Maybe this is the turning point for both the Real Madrid forward and the team. That is the potential effect of moments like this, and how they can spark a team. The power could certainly be felt in the stadium, as well as the relief.
The impact could similarly be witnessed on both sides. Slovakia immediately went from lifting themselves off their knees in disappointment to having to stop a set-piece. They failed, as an English side with a new energy saw substitute Ivan Toney tee up Harry Kane for the match-winner. The captain needed that as much as anyone else, in what is maybe another influential moment. Maybe he will now find more goals, and life. There’s new hope for what’s next, rather than gloom.
On an evening when there was so much history swirling around, and Southgate came so close to being consigned to the national team’s football past, there were obvious precedents to draw on. One was from a tournament that has already been discussed in how England can grow late into a campaign, which was David Platt’s extra-time match-winner against Belgium at the same stage of the 1990 World Cup. That goal was even as spectacular as this, too. Can this be similar?
The very fact all this is being said during such a stirring victory illustrates how much still has to change.
The goal won’t magically solve everything. England’s quarter-final opponents, Switzerland, will be looking at this and seeing potential flaws to exploit all over the pitch.
This win might still be just putting off the inevitable rather than a moment of fate. It could be just the set-up for worse rather than salvation.
That is entirely dependent on Southgate’s decisions from here on in. He must now surely accept this system just doesn’t work.
The potential loss of the game came when this was how the players were set up, and that was when they looked their worst.
There were huge gaps all over the pitch, and especially in front of an exposed defence. That isn’t to blame any individual player, but merely to state it is a product of what was wrong. Almost nothing in it works. Declan Rice found himself 15 yards in front of where he should have been for the Slovakian goal, which had already been repeatedly warned.
The move that worked for the goal had been tried minutes before, too. For this, Ondrej Duda easily won a duel against a listless-looking Foden. The ball was played up to Juraj Kucka and his physicality, with David Strelec’s finesse caused problems. After exposing Kyle Walker with one pass, England’s entire defence was undone. Schranz was played in and, even though he could have had a penalty from a panicked and desperate challenge, but he stayed on his feet to put the ball beyond Jordan Pickford.
It was coming, and no less than Slovakia deserved.
This is what Switzerland will be focusing on. Southgate instead needs to focus on what works, although that remains unclear.
What was successful in desperately chasing a 1-0 deficit against a weaker side in a last 16 game isn’t necessarily what is required for a hugely testing quarter-final against a surging Swiss team.
The balance of the attack clearly needs to be altered. As to whether that is bringing in Cole Palmer or Anthony Gordon or both remains to be seen. Although England had improved when the former came on, it wasn’t like that was where the goals or even really the pressure had come from. Slovakia had been relatively comfortable in the final moments of normal play, although tiring.
Rice hit the post with a long shot. Milan Skriniar was having to stretch that bit more to meet headers.
England eventually won a throw, which Walker launched. It was as rudimentary as you could get for a moment of salvation that was as spectacular as you can get.
Bellingham has represented a tactical issue in himself and where he goes, but he more than solved it here.
The next goal did seem inevitable. Within minutes of extra-time restarting, Kane had plundered a header.
England were really through from that moment, even though there was still 25 minutes of needless retreat. Some things don’t change. Slovakia had given all they can, mind. England need to find much more.
At the least, nothing about their tournament now seems predictable, right down to Southgate’s line-up. He has to change, and it might well change Euro 2024.
Bellingham, fittingly, might already have turned everything on its head.