England vs Slovakia: A passionate clash of European Cup 1/8 finals
In the early morning of July 1, 2024, Beijing time, the flames of the 1/8 finals of the European Championship were raging, and England and Slovakia launched a thrilling duel on the green field. This is not only a contest of strength, but also a contest of wisdom and will.
England, as the world's fifth-ranked football powerhouse, is coming with a high profile with a total value of 1.52 billion euros. Their unbeaten run in the group stage was flawless, with one win and two draws holding them top of the group. Slovakia, on the other hand, are ranked 45th in the world and worth only 156 million euros, but their tenacity in the group stage has been impressive, with one win, one draw and one defeat that has allowed them to reach the round of 16.
In this game, the England team lined up the 4231 formation they are good at, with goalkeeper Pickford guarding the goal, and the backline consisting of Kieran Trippier, Guehi, John Stones and Walker. The back pair of Declan Rice and Maynu are responsible for building a barrier in midfield, while Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden provide a steady stream of firepower behind lone striker Harry Kane. Such a starting lineup, worth as much as 861 million euros, undoubtedly makes people full of expectations for their performance.
The Slovak team lined up in a 433 formation, with Dubravka, Skriniar, Hansko and other main players all on the field, and their performance on the field was also remarkable.
After the start of the game, the two sides engaged in a fierce battle. England, with their strong strength and tacit cooperation, frequently threatened the Slovak goal. However, the Slovak team also showed tenacious fighting spirit and excellent defensive ability, and repeatedly defused the England team's attack.
Some netizens said: "England is going to heaven!" The difference in strength is obvious, and winning is not a problem. But some netizens disagreed: "Don't underestimate Slovakia, they have the potential to be a dark horse!" ”
As the game wore on, England finally broke the deadlock. After a delicate link-up, Harry Kane received a pass from a team-mate and calmly slotted the ball into the far corner of the net. At this moment, the cheers of the English fans were deafening.
However, the Slovak team did not give up. They capitalised on England's defensive negligence and quickly launched a counter-attack to level the scores. The goal left Slovakia fans ecstatic, and they saw hope for their team to pull off a miracle.
Another netizen joked: "It seems that Slovakia is not only able to defend, but also to attack in an orderly manner!" ”
In the end, after 90 minutes of fierce battle, England advanced to the quarterfinals with a hearty victory with more consistent performance and excellent ability to grasp opportunities. Although Slovakia were defeated, their indomitable fighting spirit won the respect and applause of the audience. This game will undoubtedly become an unforgettable memory in the history of the European Championship.
Slovakia counterattacked England, and the football field was shocked by the true colors of dark horses
In the midst of an unpromising voice, the Slovak team has made the football world cheer up with its amazing performance. In the face of the powerful England, this small Eastern European country with a population of only 5.44 million not only showed tenacity, but also showed extraordinary strength at critical moments.
At the beginning of the game, the Slovak team went down like a tiger, frequently attacking the England goal. Trippier's return pass error made the Slovak fans at the scene nervous, but Gue's quick follow-up and tactical foul, despite receiving a yellow card, successfully stopped the opponent's attack. At this moment, the Slovak defence showed remarkable resilience. Immediately afterwards, Hanzko's kick seemed to pass and shoot, which made the England goalkeeper break out in a cold sweat.
Just when people thought that England would gradually stabilize their position, Slovakia made another effort. In the 25th minute, a sudden counterattack made the England team's defense collapse instantly. Strelets' precise through-ball, Schranz's keen insertion, and a cool stab sent the ball into the net. At this moment, the Slovak team led England 1-0, and the cheers of the fans on the sidelines were deafening.
England clearly didn't expect such a start, and their attack looked a bit chaotic. Bellingham's tripping foul made England's situation even worse. Netizens commented: "What's wrong with England? Overturned at the beginning? "Slovakia is going to counterattack, it's too exciting!" "It looks like anything can happen on the football pitch, England have to be careful!"
As the game wore on, Slovakia were not holding back on the lead, and they remained a threat to the England goal. England are also trying to adjust their tactics and try to equalise. However, with Slovakia's tight defence, England's attack has struggled to form an effective threat.
The result of this game undoubtedly sounded the alarm bell for the England team. In this world of football, no team can afford to take any opponent lightly. The Slovak team proved this with their real actions. Not only did they win the competition, but they also won the respect and applause of the people.
When the final whistle blew, the Slovakian players cheered, knowing that the victory was not easy to come by. For England, the defeat could be the motivation for their future efforts. In this game full of suspense and passion, the Slovak team became a real dark horse.
Schlanz showed his might again, and England woke up after sleepwalking in the half
Schlandz, the Slovak striker, proved his worth once again at this European Championship. His third goal, like a resounding slap in the face, hit the England team in the face, making this giant team worth as much as 1.5 billion lose face. After falling behind 0-1, England woke up as if from a dream and began to attack.
However, their awakening seems to have come a little late. In the 31st minute, Bellingham's clever pass should have been a great attacking opportunity, but Saka's pass couldn't find his team-mate. Immediately afterwards, Bellingham's breakthrough and cross failed to convert into a goal, and the ball was magically blocked by the opposition goalkeeper. In the 38th minute, England were awarded set-pieces, but Foden's penalty was also unable to get past the Slovak wall.
Towards the end of the first half, Trizier's insertion was a little slower to deprive England of a great equaliser. 0-1, the scoreline was hard for all England fans to accept. Slovakia were aggressive in attack, while England appeared passive. Such a performance is undoubtedly extremely incommensurate with England's world ranking and value. Some netizens sarcastically said: "England is using its strength to interpret 'football is round'!" ”
The England team is clearly unwilling to accept such a result. They stepped up their attack and tried to equalise. However, fate does not seem to favor them. In the 50th minute, Foden received a pass from a team-mate and scored with ease, but the brilliant goal was disallowed for offside. This scene made England fans want to cry without tears, and some netizens lamented: "This is simply black humor!" ”
However, England's efforts paid off in the end. Although the exact process of equalising and overtaking is not described in detail, it is conceivable that England must have launched a more aggressive attack for the remainder of the second half and eventually managed to turn the game around. It's a tortuous process, but that's the charm of football.
Throughout the game, Schlandz's goal was undoubtedly the highlight. England's performance was both loved and hated. Some netizens joked: "England is a typical 'give you a chance, you don't use it'!" Another netizen retorted: "Don't say that, England is exercising defense, and the next time you meet a strong team, it will be stable!" ”
Regardless of the result, this match will become an unforgettable memory in the history of the European Championship. It allows us to see the infinite possibilities of football, and it also makes us cherish the wonderful moments of every game even more.
Strelets dropped a point with a long-range lob and Bellingham equalised as England drew their opponents
In the 54th minute of the game, Strelets' ultra-long-range lob shot made the audience exclaim. It was a highly imaginative and technical shot, and the ball made a graceful arc in the air and headed straight for the opposition goal. However, as fate would have it, the ball eventually slid out of the goal, failing to change the scoreline. It was a wonderful moment that not only showed Strelets's extraordinary talent, but also made people feel a little sorry for the England team.
Some netizens ridiculed: "This foot hanging shot is simply handsome, if you get in, it will be perfect!" Some netizens also thought: "Although I didn't score, this goal can definitely score the top ten goals of the week!" ”
As the game wore on, England were not discouraged by the regrettable loss of points. In the 65th minute, they made a change, with Palmer coming off the bench to replace Kieran Trippier and Bukayo Saka switching to left-back. The change was clearly aimed at strengthening the attack, and England were not reconciled to end the game with a score of 0-1.
Another netizen commented: "England obviously attacked more fiercely after the substitution, looking forward to the next performance!" ”
Sure enough, the England team after the substitution was even sharper in attack. In the 70th minute, Palmer crossed, and Bellingham fell to the ground after receiving the ball in the penalty area. However, the referee did not say anything about the possible foul and England missed a great chance to score.
Seeing that the game was coming to an end, England launched a final attack. In the 77th minute, Foden took a set-piece from the left, and Kane's header went just wide, once again making the fans sigh.
Just when everyone thought the game would end 1-0, a miracle happened. In the 90+5th minute, England's throw-in from the right side of the front field was thrown into the penalty area, Guehi's header was ferried, and Bellingham scored a barb in the penalty area to help England equalize the score!
Some netizens excitedly said: "Bellingham's goal is too godly! Saved England at the last minute! Some netizens joked: "This goal was scored so suddenly, I wonder if the referee's watch is five minutes slower!" ”
Bellingham's barb not only equalised, but was England's first shot on target of the game. His performance was undoubtedly a savior for England and made what could have ended in defeat a game full of drama and suspense.
England counterattacked Slovakia, and the battle for Kane's redemption sparked heated discussions
In the second minute of extra time, Palmer's cross crossed the defence like an arrow from the string, and after being cleared, Guehi was shrewd to ferry again, Kane had a keen sense of smell in front of the goal, and headed into the corner to let England beat Slovakia 2-1, a counterattack that not only made England fans cheer, but also sparked widespread discussion.
England, as the biggest favorite to win this European Cup, can be described as stumbling in the group stage, although undefeated to qualify, but the lack of offensive firepower has always been criticized. With just two goals scored in three games, such a record is clearly unsatisfactory for the Three Lions, who are aiming to win the title. However, it is such a team that showed perseverance in the 1/8 finals.
Against Slovakia, England drew with them in regulation time in what was undoubtedly another disappointing performance. But the charm of football lies in its unpredictability, and in extra-time, Kane stepped up to open the door for England with a priceless header. At this moment, Kane seems to have become a hero, saving the team and saving himself. Some netizens jokingly said, "Kane has all four of them empty this season, so he pointed to the European Cup." ”
However, the win did not hide the problems that England had in place. Some netizens questioned: "Is England's 1.5 billion worth like this?" 'It's true that England's performance fell far short of expectations. As the leader of the team, Kane's performance is crucial. He has been fruitless at club level this season and is now under a lot of pressure with the national team. Some netizens ridiculed: "Is Kane the title of 'uncrowned king' who wants to collect all the champions?" ”
In addition to Kane, England boss Gareth Southgate has also been widely criticised. Some netizens bluntly pointed out: "The England team is short of a good coach with a hard heart." Indeed, Southgate's tactical arrangements and on-the-spot command were somewhat conservative, which also left England lacking the necessary decisiveness in key moments.
Behind this counterattack, we see the shortcomings of the England team, but also see their hope. Kane's redemption battle may be a new beginning, and England will need to continue to prove themselves in future games to get rid of the embarrassing label of "Three Meows". After all, there are no permanent winners on the football field, but with dreams and hard work, anything is possible.
Southgate's magical substitution, England counterattacked Slovakia, and the European Championship reproduced the classic
In the European Championship, there are always unknowns and surprises. On this night, the battle between England and Slovakia was undoubtedly a thrilling contest, and it was also a duel of honor and history.
Before the game, many fans questioned Southgate's line-up, believing he had delayed England's talented players. However, the results of the game were impressive. It was Gareth Southgate's substitutions at key moments that brought a turnaround for England.
Some netizens jokingly said: "Southgate is going to counterattack, the pit in the front, the fill in the back, sure enough, the ginger is still old and spicy!" Another netizen joked: "It seems that Suo Shuai still has two brushes at a critical moment, and this substitution is really a stroke of genius!" ”
The game was played until the last minute of regular time, and the two teams still played to a 1-1 draw. Slovakia had a chance to make new history in extra-time, but they fell to England, ranked fifth in the world. England's stunning strike not only made them reach the quarter-finals of the European Championship for the sixth time, but also extended their unbeaten run against Slovakia to 22 years.
For the Slovak team, the game was full of regrets, but their performance earned widespread respect. As a small country with a population of only 5.44 million, the Slovak team has shown tenacious fighting spirit and good strength on the stage of the European Championship. Some netizens sighed: "Although Slovakia is still defeated, their spirit is worth learning from!" Another netizen bluntly said: "I was excited to see this game, and the performance of the Slovak team was amazing!" ”
The victory of the England team is inseparable from the excellent performance of the players, and it is inseparable from the skillful command of Southgate. It was his substitutions at key moments that breathed new life into the England team. The win not only allowed England to continue their success at the European Championships, but also put them in a strong position for the upcoming fixtures.
With the end of the game, the feud between England and Slovakia will also come to an end for the time being. However, the memories and topics left behind by this match will forever be remembered in the history of the European Championship. We look forward to seeing these two teams meet again in the coming days to bring us more exciting moments."