After Portugal and France, the Germans are also out: no quarterfinals for the big names in the “round of death” Sterling still scores, Kane is released and the goal is clean: the British have the final in their sights
THE CHALLENGE
Do you remember the famous “circle of death”? Yes, the one with the three teams that had won the five titles awarded since 2014. Well, after having worked hard and even harder in the first phase, they are all already at home. Hunt in the initial “in or out”. After Portugal and France, he also greets Germany. He comes out in the second round, for the first time in a major tournament, on the day of farewell with no regrets to Löw, arrived in the worst way at the end of a 15-year cycle, ruined by the final three years. In the European Championship, on the other hand, with merit, those who have decided to leave Europe remain. England ahead, pushed by the advantage of the field factor (4 out of 4 at Wembley), supported by the solidity of the only unbeaten defense (only one goal conceded in the last 10 games) and by the goals (3 out of 4) of Raheem Sterling, the boy grew up a stone’s throw from the stadium that is consecrating him and that he has tattooed on him.
“Football is coming home”, sings Wembley in ecstasy after the 2-0 over historical rivals. But to win again at home 55 years after their only international triumph, the English will have to come and play with us in the meantime: on Saturday in Rome, in the fourth against Sweden. In that half of the board they are now the only big one: a very occasional one not to be wasted. The first step was done by getting the plan of the big match against those who had never beaten in the last 7 crossings at Wembley. Mindful of the combined disasters of Kimmich and Gosens against Portugal defending at 4, Southgate was placed behind at 3, with Trippier and Shaw reinforcing the flanks. He suffered something at the start, collecting center percussion (and the “yellows” of the Rice and Phillips dams), but with Pickford attentive and the Stones and Maguire towers he always got away with it. Then, to decide a challenge in the balance for 75 ‘was the intersection of the opposite destinies of two of the most anticipated protagonists. Sterling scored for the 3rd time after being dry in his first 12 European and World Cup appearances.
He opened and closed the most beautiful English action, from right to left and then in the middle, all on the grass. But 6 ‘later it was his back pass busted to feed Havertz, quick to launch Muller only towards Pickford. And while the boy from Wembley was desperate, certain of the worst, the veteran recalled by Löw angulated his right too much, he who rejoiced 10 times at the World Cup and who instead closes his 15 appearances in the taboo Europeans with 0. It was just 5 ‘from the possible 1-1 to the final 2-0. It was signed by Kane, still the worst of the Three Lions so far. Thanks to the perfect assistance of Grealish, who took over by popular acclaim, but having finally unlocked the captain targeted by criticism is an additional weapon for Southgate. –
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