England's Great Escape: Bellingham and Kane Rescue Stuttering Campaign

Monday 01 July 2024 - 07:33

In a dramatic turn of events, England's hopes at the EURO 2024 tournament appeared to be fading into oblivion as they entered the closing moments against Slovakia. Even their own supporters had been reduced to a subdued silence, forced to witness a lack of quality and inspiration from their national team.

Gareth Southgate and his players must have been acutely aware of the consequences awaiting them if Slovakia had secured a victory, a result that would have undoubtedly marked the end of the manager's reign and left England with no choice but to make a bitterly disappointing retreat from Germany.

However, it was in this dire moment that Jude Bellingham, a young superstar whose own performances and demeanor had come under scrutiny after England's draws against Denmark and Slovenia in Group C, illustrated why he is regarded as one of the game's rising talents. With an audacious and acrobatic display of individuality, Bellingham breathed new life into England's campaign.

Harry Kane then stepped up to finish the job with a trademark poacher's finish, leaving the supporters who had braced themselves to turn on players and manager instead celebrating the most unlikely, and some would say undeserved, triumph.

For England and Southgate, Bellingham's goal will be hoped to prove a tournament-turning moment, finally igniting a campaign that had struggled to gain momentum and rarely showed any signs of doing so against Slovakia.

However, to bring England back to reality, their performance was not one that would leave an impressive Switzerland side with any terrors as they prepare for the quarter-final clash.

In what could be considered stiff competition, England's first 45 minutes were their worst of EURO 2024, as they were horribly vulnerable at the back, chaotic in all areas of the pitch, and lacking threat up front.

The introduction of Chelsea's Cole Palmer enlivened England, once again raising questions about Southgate's decision not to start him after his impressive cameo against Slovenia and to make only one change, bringing in Kobbie Mainoo for Conor Gallagher.

As the celebrations and dust settle on this hair-raising escape from humiliation, for that is exactly what it was, England and Southgate will have plenty to ponder.

England's Victory Comes at a Price

While the dramatic victory will undoubtedly provide a much-needed boost to England's campaign, it comes at a price. Manager Gareth Southgate will be deprived of defender Marc Guehi for the quarter-final against Switzerland after he picked up a second yellow card.

Guehi was unfortunate, as he was placed in a tough position by Kieran Trippier's dreadful pass after only three minutes. However, he then demonstrated his mentality for the big stage by safely negotiating the rest of normal time plus the extra 30 minutes without further brushes with Turkish referee Umut Meler, who was more than willing to brandish yellow cards, also booking Bellingham and Mainoo inside the first 20 minutes.

Despite the justifiable criticism England has received for their displays so far, Guehi has emerged as arguably their best player, a calm and composed presence alongside John Stones. While he will be annoyed at allowing Schranz to get in behind him for Slovakia's goal, Guehi also made some crucial interventions as England wobbled badly in the first half. His absence against the Swiss will undoubtedly be felt.