New Delhi: England, the runners-up of the last edition, will face Slovakia in the UEFA Euro 2024 in VELTINS-Arena, Gelsenkirchen (Sunday, June 30). Whoever wins the game will then face Switzerland in the quarter-finals.
England started their campaign with a win over Serbia. Their next two games were drawn. That was enough for them to collect five points and go to the knockout stage, winning Group C. Gareth Southgate’s side recorded draws against a pair of draws against Denmark and Slovenia following their nervy 1-0 win over a Serbian side that wasn’t playing with their full strength.
Despite playing a boring draw game against Slovenia, England’s undefeated status has shown a side of their resilience. Still, their draw against Slovenia means they have won only two of their last eight games.
Southgate’s job will be to ensure his talented side can match the expectation, with neither France, Belgium, Portugal, Germany, nor Spain blocking England’s potential path to the final. They have previously been a successful unit against Slovakia and will hope to continue this record.
Although they are not favourites against their opponents in Gelsenkirchen, Slovakia will not be taken lightly. Their opening victory over Belgium proved they could cause upsets. Though the Falcons managed to take only a single point from their next two fixtures, losing to Ukraine 2-1 and drawing 1-1 with Romania, they edged through by finishing third in Group E. This was a significant achievement as each team ended up on four points, showcasing the group’s competitiveness.
During the qualifying campaign for Euro 2024, Francesco Calzona’s side lost just twice in 10 matches. Both defeats were against Portugal. An attacking approach ensured they reached Germany for the tournament.
As they appear in their third successive Euros, with their first appearance happening eight years ago, Slovakia could be on the verge of making history. If they win against England, it will be their first appearance in the quarter-finals.
Team News
England’s first-choice left-back, Luke Shaw, will be available for Sunday’s game despite a lengthy layoff. Due to a hamstring issue, he is yet to appear in the tournament. His return is good news for England as stand-in Kieran Trippier was seen joining midfield mainstay Declan Rice in training separately from the main group in midweek.
Newcastle United winger Anthony Gordon sustained several minor injuries after falling off a bike but will most likely be fit to play. Phil Foden is back from a trip home for the birth of his child, which will be a relief for Southgate’s dilemma in the final third. Gordon, along with Cole Palmer, will hope for a promotion from the bench.
Incidentally, Foden, Trippier, Conor Gallagher, and Marc Guehi will miss out on a quarter-final if booked. Captain Harry Kane will be crucial, as he has scored six goals in his last six knockout appearances at major tournaments, the most of any English player to date. Jordan Pickford, the English goalkeeper, has been crucial in keeping England clean in seven of the 10 games in the Euros.
Slovakia’s lineup is often unchanged under Calzona, which means goalkeeper Martin Dubravka, centre-back Milan Skriniar, and midfielder Stanislav Lobotka will be important in their defence.
Lobotka is well supported by Ondrej Duda and Juraj Kucka. This means either David Strelec or Boavista striker Robert Bozenik will likely be joined in the front by Lukas Haraslin and Ivan Schranz. Forward Tomas Suslov has made an impact as a substitute but will most likely be sidelined over Haraslin on the Falcons’ left flank. Duda and Schranz are both one booking away from a ban. This would mean that should Slovenia qualify, they will be ruled out of a potential last-eight contest next Saturday.
Head to head
England have been unbeaten against Slovakia. They have won five games, and the two teams have played one draw game. England’s record will give them an upper hand over Slovakia. However, Slovakia has shown character throughout their tournament.
England: Pickford; Walker, Stones, Guehi, Trippier; Mainoo, Rice; Saka, Bellingham, Foden; Kane
Slovakia: Dubravka; Pekarik, Vavro, Skriniar, Hancko; Kucka, Lobotka, Duda; Schranz, Bozenik, Haraslin
When, where and how to watch the England vs Slovakia match in India?
The England vs Slovakia UEFA Euro 2024 match will be telecast live on Sony Sports Network in India. Live streaming of Euro 2024 will be available on SonyLIV app and website. The action begins at 9:30 pm IST tonight.
England will look to move further in their road to their second consecutive Euro finals as Slovakia look to make history and qualify for their first quarter finals in the European Championship Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
