Southgate’s side failed to muster a shot on target until Bellingham’s 95th-minute equaliser forced extra-time in Gelsenkirchen
The 99th game of Gareth Southgate’s England era so nearly ended in a new low against Slovakia in the last 16 of Euro 2024.
Jude Bellingham’s sublime over-head kick in the dying seconds spared England’s blushes, sending the game to extra-time after Ivan Schranz strolled through a fractured England defence to prod past Jordan Pickford after 25 minutes.
In truth Slovakia might well have won by more while England looked like bowing out without a whimper until Bellingham struck with England’s first shot on target of the match.
The celebrations had barely died down before England were ahead 54 seconds into extra-time when Harry Kane nodded home after subs Eberechi Eze and Ivan Toney combined to tee him up.
England negotiated the remainder of extra-time without alarm and will face Switzerland in the quarter-final on Saturday (5pm BST).
Slow start for Southgate’s side
Southgate opted to make just one change from the goalless draw with Slovenia, bringing in Kobbie Mainoo for Conor Gallagher in midfield.
Marc Guehi picked up a costly booking inside three minutes – which will keep him out of Saturday’s quarter-final against Switzerland – after being sold short by a pass by Kieran Tripper and having to bring down David Strelec.
The first opportunity fell to the Slovaks as David Hancko was played in down the left of the area on the break only to side-foot across Pickford’s goal and inches past the far post.
Mainoo followed Guehi into the book just six minutes in after a foul on Ondrej Duda before Tripper lashed over the bar from Bellingham’s pass across the face of the area.
Kyle Walker was caught out of possession allowing Lukas Haraslin a clear run through down the left, only to be denied by a last-ditch block from the sliding Guehi.
Juraj Kucka was cautioned on 13 minutes for bringing down Trippier and Bellingham followed him into the book three minutes later after a lunge on Haraslin.
The nerves were evident for England as even the likes of John Stones and Kyle Walker conceded possession cheaply in their own half.
Harry Kane saw a header from a Tripper inswinging cross deflected past the post on 23 minutes while Kobbie Mainoo skewed a volley over the bar from just outside the box from the resultant corner.
The breakthrough came at the other end in catastrophic fashion on 25 minutes when Guehi was dragged well out of position on the left but missed the header which was glanced beyond him, allowing Strelec to neatly thread the ball beyond the backtracking Guehi and into Stranz in space in the area to poke into the corner past Jordan Pickford.
England applied some pressure just after the half hour but couldn’t make the most of a couple of near-post corners from Trippier and a curling free-kick from Phil Foden.
Milan Skriniar went into the book for a challenge from behind on Bellingham just before the break while Mainoo saw a low effort deflected past the post as England finished the half on top.
No changes at the interval
Southgate opted against making any changes at the break and that paid dividends four minutes after the break when Kane sprayed the ball wide for Trippier in space and his pass was turned in by Foden, who had strayed offside.
Kane saw a shot loop wide via a ricochet off Denis Vavro before England had an almighty let-off when Bellingham rolled a quick free-kick towards John Stones on halfway. The defender wasn’t looking and the ball ran to Strelec whose first-time effort looped over Pickford who was well outside his area but bounced narrowly wide of the post.
Kucka was fortunate to escape a second booking for bringing down Mainoo on the edge of the area, though Foden’s free-kick hit the wall on the hour.
It was Slovakia who went to their bench first with two subs just after the hour while England fans got a boost when Cole Palmer came on for Tripper, with Saka switching to left-back.
Kane powered a header the wrong side of the post 13 minutes from time as England’s wait for a shot on target went on.
Declan Rice thudded the post from 25 yards in the final 10 minutes, but Kane could only volley the rebound into the ground and over the bar with the goal gaping and Martin Dubravka nowhere.
Eberechi Eze came on for Mainoo with seven minutes remaining, but it was Stanislav Lobotka who had the next effort, straight at Pickford from distance on 87 minutes.
Ivan Toney replaced Foden in the 94th minute but with just seconds of added time remaining, a long throw from Walker was glanced on by Guehi and Bellingham produced an exquisite overhead kick which beat Dubravka into the corner to spark wild celebrations before the final whistle.
Celebrations continue
Those celebrations continued 54 seconds into extra time when Kane nodded home at the far post after Toney had headed Eze’s mis-hit volley from the edge of the box back across goal.
Peter Pekarik almost turned in a close range volley in the dying seconds of the first half of extra-time.
Bellingham and Kane were withdrawn at the interval with Conor Gallagher and Ezri Konsa coming on to shore things up, with Saka able to revert to the right flank with Konsa taking over at left-back.
Lubomir Tupta fizzed a free-kick well over Pickford’s bar while Toney lashed a strike past the angle of post and bar after a break by Palmer in the dying seconds as England saw the tie out without any real concerns.
