Top of the group, unbeaten and on the favorable side of the draw for the knockout phase of the UEFA Euro 2024, so it is a case of job done for England at this stage of the tournament.
However, fans jeered loudly and threw beer cups as the final whistle blew on a 0-0 draw with Slovenia at Cologne Stadium in Germany on Tuesday.
Criticism of England’s performances in Germany has been fierce.
Photo: AFP
“I’ve not seen any team qualify and receive similar,” England manager Gareth Southgate said.
Southgate said that he and his team could be paying the price for their success under his leadership. Safe passage through to the round of 16 maintains his personal record of advancing from the group stage of every major tournament he has taken charge of, dating back to the FIFA World Cup in 2018.
“I think probably expectation [is different]. We’ve made England over the last six or seven years fun again. I think it has been enjoyable for the players,” Southgate said. “We’ve got to be very, very careful that it stays that way.”
Photo: AP
England have not been fun to watch at these Euros with a 1-0 win against Serbia their only victory in Group C. That was followed by a 1-1 draw with Denmark and the scoreless draw with Slovenia.
Three games, two goals and a whole lot of underwhelmed fans.
The atmosphere at the game was hardly helped by plastic beer cups being thrown on the field as Southgate and his players went to applaud England supporters after the match.
“I’m not going to back down from going over and thanking the fans who were brilliant during the game,” Southgate said. “They might feel differently towards me, but for me, we only will succeed if we are together.”
England are to play one of the best third-place teams in the next round after advancing as group winners.
Denmark and Serbia themselves on Tuesday played out a goalless draw, with the result eliminating Serbia.
“That was the aim before the start of the tournament. Come top of the group and control our destiny,” England captain Harry Kane said.
The England result also meant Slovenia reached the round of 16 for the first time.
“We are such a small country, with such a big heart and mental strength. That’s why I’m very proud of my team,” Slovenia manager Matjaz Kek said. “This is only the beginning for a new and beautiful era for Slovenian football.”
Elsewhere, Kylian Mbappe scored his first goal of the Euros, but France drew 1-1 with Poland to finish runners-up in Group D behind Austria, who beat the Netherlands 3-2.
The Netherlands advanced as one of the best third-place teams, while Poland exited.
Additional reporting by staff writer
Manchester City have reached do-or-die territory in the UEFA Champions League earlier than expected ahead of what Pep Guardiola has described as a “final” against Club Brugge today. City have disproved the suggestion a new format to Europe’s top club competition would remove any jeopardy for the top clubs as Guardiola stares down the barrel of failing to make the Champions League knockout stages for the first time in his career. The English champions have endured a torrid season both in their English Premier League title defense and on the continent. A run of one win in 13 games, which included Champions League
BACK-TO-BACK: The League One club, which is owned by stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, is sparing no expense to clinch promotion to the Championship Hollywood endings are pricey, even in England’s third division. In pursuit of their third straight promotion, Wrexham AFC splashed some cash at League One rival Reading to secure the services of striker Sam Smith. The Welsh club owned by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney confirmed the signing of the 26-year-old Smith on Friday. He is one of the top scorers in the third division. The transfer fee was not disclosed, but British media widely reported it to be about ￡2 million (US$2.48 million) — not extravagant, but a hefty price at this level and it would be about the same figure that
Less than a week after splashing out a world-record fee for Naomi Girma, Chelsea has spent big again to bring England midfielder Keira Walsh back to the English Women’s Super League. Walsh left European champions Barcelona after more than two years to join Chelsea for a reported ￡400,000 (US$496,000) on Friday. Walsh was the world’s most expensive player for two years after moving to Barcelona from Manchester City for a reported ￡400,000 in 2022. That status now belongs to Girma, the US defender who cost Chelsea a reported ￡900,000 to sign from the San Diego Wave. Still, it means 27-year-old Walsh — a technically
Ousmane Dembele on Wednesday scored a hat-trick as Paris Saint-Germain romped to a 4-1 win at VfB Stuttgart and qualified for the UEFA Champions League knockout stages. PSG were at risk of elimination after a disappointing league stage, with three losses and a draw, but were utterly dominant against an outclassed Stuttgart side as they confirmed their place in the playoffs. With six minutes gone, Bradley Barcola headed PSG in front after Desire Doue stood a cross up at the back post following a corner. Stuttgart probed for an equalizer, but PSG hit on the counterattack, Dembele tapping a Barcola pass into an
RSS