Gareth Southgate’s England limped to a dross stalemate against Slovenia in Köln, topping Group C in the process after Denmark were also held to a 0-0 draw by Serbia in Munich.
By winning the group, the Three Lions avoid France, Spain, Portugal and Germany – with those four heavyweights all seeded on the other side of the knockout bracket.
As it happened
If fans were hoping for an enthralling encounter when these two sides met in Köln, they’d be bitterly disappointed – as they would be if they’d hoped to see an improved England set out to right the wrongs of their first two Group C matches.
Chances were few and far between throughout the evening, with England’s best chance of the opening fifteen minutes coming in the form of a Phil Foden cross that flew over the head of Bukayo Saka. That was offside, and that just about set the mood for the match.
Sloppiness in the heart of the midfield could have cost the Three Lions dearly. Gareth Southgate accepted that his experiment with Trent Alexander-Arnold in the midfield hadn’t worked – but Conor Gallagher was identified as the perfect replacement, as opposed to the likes of Kobbie Mainoo or Adam Wharton.
A flurry of Slovenian attacks came close to punishing England for their all-round half-heartedness, but it was at the other end that the ball rippled the back of the net: Saka had slotted home, but as had been the case earlier in the match, Foden was offside. Fantastic stuff.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe final pass was never there, nor was the finish. Gallagher’s flick from a Kieran Trippier delivery narrowly evaded Harry Kane just before the interval, and the misfortune inside the penalty area continued after the break when England decided they’d rather play headers and volleys than actually attempt to score from a corner.
Gallagher’s involvement was short-lived, with the midfielder withdrawn at half-time for Mainoo – a sensible decision, and one that looked to pay dividends from the outset, with the Manchester United youngster aiding Jude Bellingham to force a corner.
The fact we’re highlighting corners says it all, really. There was absolutely nothing to write home about, with the exception of a bright spell at the end of the match when Anthony Gordon was finally introduced… in the 89th minute.
Put simply, Southgate got it wrong. Kane and Southgate have both shut down pundits for what they perceived to be overly critical analysis of England’s first two group games – and after another woeful showing on Tuesday, the pundits look to have been proven right once again.
England will return to action on Sunday, 30 June in Gelsenkirchen.
The lineups
ENG: Pickford; Trippier, Guéhi, Stones, Walker; Rice, Gallagher; Foden, Bellingham, Saka; Kane
SVN: Oblak; Janža, Bijol, Drkušić, Karničnik; Mlakar, Elšnik, Čerin, Stojanović; Šesko, Sporar