Raheem Sterling scored the only goal on Tuesday as England found an attacking spark to beat the Czech Republic 1-0 at Wembley Stadium in London and clinch top spot in Group D at the UEFA Euro 2020.
The Manchester City forward, who kept his place alongside Harry Kane in a rejigged attack also featuring Jack Grealish and Bukayo Saka, settled fans’ nerves with an early headed goal, which ultimately proved decisive.
The result means manager Gareth Southgate’s side finish top of their group with seven points, while Croatia are second with four points. The Czech Republic join them in the last 16 as one of the best third-placed teams.
Photo: EPA-EFE
With just two goals scored, England are the lowest-scoring side to ever finish top of a group at a European Championship, but their defense has yet to be breached.
England now have the dubious privilege of a potential match-up against world champions France, holders Portugal or Germany, but have the home advantage on Tuesday next week.
“We are not fluent, but we have moments where we look a good side,” Southgate told ITV.
Photo: AFP
“Different sorts of tests. All of our next opponents will be different games,” he said. “There is a lot of good things we are doing. We are getting minutes for a lot of the players. Ninety minutes for Harry Maguire was important tonight. Jordan Henderson getting 45 minutes is a step forward. A lot of positives.”
CROATIA V SCOTLAND
AFP, GLASGOW, Scotland
Scotland’s hopes of reaching the knockout stage of a major tournament for the first time were ended on Tuesday in a 3-1 defeat to a Luka Modric-inspired Croatia at Hampden Park that took the World Cup runners-up into the last 16 of the UEFA Euro 2020.
After ending a 23-year wait just to qualify for a major tournament, another historic feat was beyond Manager Steve Clarke’s Scotland side who were undone by a moment of magic from Modric.
Callum McGregor canceled out Nikola Vlasic’s early opener to give the hosts hope heading into halftime, but Modric showed the class that made him the man to break Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo’s grip on the Ballon d’Or in 2018, a stunning strike with the outside of his foot just after the hour mark restoring Croatia’s lead.
“No one is sure how Luka manages that,” Croatia manager Zlatko Dalic said of the 35-year-old. “We expect that Luka will go down, lose his strength, but he is the force that pulls the whole team.”
“Anything I would say about Luka would not be sufficient. I’m very proud to have such a player as part of our team,” he said.
Ivan Perisic’s header rubbed salt into Scottish wounds 13 minutes from time.
Dalic’s side are to take on the runners-up from Group E, featuring Spain, Sweden, Slovakia and Poland, in Copenhagen on Monday next week.
Scotland’s preparation had been blighted by the loss of Billy Gilmour to a positive test for COVID-19 after the 20-year-old had shone on his first international start in the 0-0 draw against England on Friday.
Without the Chelsea midfielder, Scotland lacked anyone close to the class of Croatia’s midfield maestros who eventually ran the hosts into the ground with nearly two-thirds of possession.
“Overall Croatia were the better team on the night and sometimes you just have to accept that,” Clarke said.
ARENA UPROAR
AFP, MUNICH, Germany
UEFA’s decision to block plans by Munich to light the Allianz Arena in rainbow colors for the Germany-Hungary UEFA Euro 2020 match was on Tuesday met with defiance in the Bavarian city, which vowed to decorate other landmarks in protest at a law passed by the Hungarian government.
“UEFA is a politically and religiously neutral organization,” European football’s governing body said in a statement ahead of yesterday’s match. “Given the political context of this request — a message aimed at a decision taken by the Hungarian national parliament — UEFA must refuse.”
Munich Mayor Dieter Reiter slammed UEFA’s decision and announced plans to decorate other city landmarks in rainbow colors in defiance.
He plans to put up rainbow-colored flags at the Munich town hall and illuminate a huge wind turbine close to the stadium, as well as the city’s 291m Olympic Tower.
Reiter had wanted the Allianz Arena in rainbow colors for the crucial Group F match to “send a visible sign of solidarity” to Hungary’s LGBT community.
Hungary’s right-wing government last week passed a law banning the “promotion” of homosexuality to minors, outlawing any educational programs or material in which homosexuality is mentioned.
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