EURO 2024: Round of 16 – Day 2
A Magical Goal by Bellingham in the Last Minute Saves England. Spain Thrashes Georgia in a Show, placing Germany under pressure.
Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane are heroes for the “Three Lions” against Slovakia, and “La Furia” recovers from Own Goal Shock and Sweeps Tournament Sensation.
After extra time, England dramatically turned the game against Slovakia with a 2:1 victory. It qualified for the quarter-finals of Euro 2024, where they will face Switzerland, who dethroned the champions Italy.
Ivan Schranz (25) put the Slovaks ahead, and they were on the verge of creating the biggest sensation of the tournament.
Still, the bookmakers’ favourite was saved by a fabulous goal from Jude Bellingham (90+5) in added time and a goal from Harry Kane (91) in the first seconds of extra time.
The Slovaks organized two good attacks in the first five minutes but failed to shoot accurately at England’s goal.
The British responded with a chance for Bukayo Saka, but the forward committed a foul in the attack. Minutes later, Kieran Trippier shot high over Slovakia’s goal.
The Slovaks squandered another good opportunity in the 12th minute after a breakthrough by Lukáš Haraslín, but his shot was blocked.
The score was opened in the 25th minute when David Strelec set up Ivan Schranz, who took the ball and scored for 1:0 with a shot to the far corner.
After the goal, England pushed forward, but Bukayo Saka, Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, and Kieran Trippier failed to deliver a finishing shot in several consecutive attacks.
A minute before the end of the first half, a dangerous shot by Kobbie Mainoo was deflected for a corner, after which John Stones committed a foul in the attack.
Five minutes after the break, a three-way combination between Harry Kane, Kieran Trippier, and Phil Foden ended with a goal, but the goal was disallowed for offside.
Slovakia could have taken a two-goal lead in the 55th minute when David Strelec shot from the centre after an English defenders’ mistake but failed to lob the advancing England goalkeeper.
In the following minutes, goal situations were lacking, and several substitutions on both teams further disrupted the game.
England was inches from an equalizing goal in the 78th minute, but Harry Kane failed to head the ball into the net.
The post saved Martin Dúbravka in the 81st minute after a shot by Declan Rice from the edge of the penalty area. In added time, Jude Bellingham brought back the intrigue with a scissor kick from a few metres out (1:1), leading to extra time.
In the first seconds of extra time, a cross by Palmer from a free kick was punched away by Dúbravka. Eze attempted a very inaccurate shot from the air, but the ball reached Toney, who headed parallel to the goal line, and Harry Kane headed in for 2:1.
The Slovaks had a golden chance to equalize at the end of the first extra time, but Pekarík headed wide from a few metres out. At the start of the second extra time, Southgate replaced Bellingham and Kane, bringing on Gallagher and Konsa.
Despite Slovakia’s attempts to press, there were no other situations until the end. Toney could have scored a third goal after an England counterattack in added time, but his shot went over the bar.
Thus, with great difficulty, England reached the quarter-finals, where they will face Switzerland.
Spain had no such problems after turning and thrashing Georgia 4:1 at the “RheinEnergieStadion” in Cologne in the fourth match of the Euro 2024 Round of 16, qualifying for a much-anticipated quarter-final clash against Germany in Stuttgart.
In the 18th minute, Robin Le Normand scored an unfortunate own goal.
Still, his teammates Rodri (39), Fabián Ruiz (52), Nico Williams (75), and Dani Olmo (83) secured a fourth consecutive victory for “La Furia,” frightening the host for the next phase of the tournament.
The Spaniards started aggressively, and in the 11th minute, Dani Carvajal was close to scoring with a header, but Mamardashvili intervened perfectly to preserve the goalless draw.
Shortly after, Laporte also had a chance to score after a corner but sent the ball wide of the goal.
Georgia sensationally took the lead in the 18th minute in one of their few counterattacks. Kakhabadze broke free on the right and crossed to Kvaratskhelia, and Le Normand misjudged the situation and deflected the ball into his net for 0:1.
Powerful pressure from Spain followed, and Mamardashvili saved a shot by Fabián Ruiz.
In the 27th minute, Pedri shot from the edge of the penalty area, but the ball flew over the crossbar. In the 39th minute, Spain’s efforts paid off. Nico Williams passed to Rodri, and his powerful shot left Mamardashvili helpless.
VAR checked the goal because Morata was in an offside position, but the “La Roja” striker did not interfere with the Georgian goalkeeper, and the goal was awarded despite protests from the Georgians, who also made a forced substitution due to Kiteishvili’s injury, which Sandro Altunashvili replaced.
At the start of the second half, Kvaratskhelia saw that Unai Simón was out of position and tried to lob him from his own half, but the ball went wide. Spain’s response came seconds later.
In the 52nd minute, Nico Williams found Fabián Ruiz unmarked at the far post, and the midfielder scored with a header for 2:1.
Spain’s pressure continued, and in the 74th minute, Lamine Yamal crossed sharply, and a Georgian player deflected the ball into Mamardashvili’s net.
Still, the youngster rightly disallowed the goal for offside.
Shortly after, Nico Williams finished a lightning counterattack. He broke into the penalty area with an individual run and almost tore the net behind Mamardashvili for 3:0.
In the 80th minute, Dani Olmo and Yamal again outplayed Georgia’s defence with several quick passes. The 16-year-old teenager was one-on-one with Mamardashvili but failed to beat him.
Four minutes later, Dani Olmo found himself in a shooting position after beating two opponents and sent the ball into the net for 4:1.
So, the first great derby of the championship follows, described by some as a final before the final. Spain against Germany promises a real spectacle for every football fan.
