Home » Sterling leads England to the second round: 1-0 to the Czech Republic and first place in the group

Sterling leads England to the second round: 1-0 to the Czech Republic and first place in the group

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Mission accomplished for England that outstrips the Czech Republic, wins their group and ensures they play the round of 16 of Euro 2020, scheduled for next Tuesday, again at home, at Wembley. As in the opening match against Croatia, it is Raheem Sterling’s goal that decides the match, which relegates the Czechs – thanks to the large Croatian victory over Scotland – as third qualified in Group A.

Performance in chiaroscuro, that of the Three Lions, who deserve the three points, risk very little in defense (still zero goals in the passive after three games), but they only play in flashes, without continuity or geometry in midfield. Compared to the colorless draw against Scotland, Gareth Southgate changes four pieces, finding Harry Maguire in the center of the defense. If Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell are unavailable (in preventive quarantine), Phil Foden is spared because he is already warned: in his place the Aston Villa talent Jack Grealish finds his first starting shirt in this European championship. An opportunity also for Bukayo Saka, definitely the best of his, with his changes of pace. The first emotion is a verticalization on the left of Luke Shaw for Raheem Sterling: the lob of the Manchester City striker hits the post (unfortunate as already against Croatia). The English advantage was not long in coming: thanks to Grealish who made a cross from the left on which Sterling had no choice but to head into the net. Goal nunmero 14 for the former Liverpool in the last 19 outings with the shirt of the Three Lions.

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England plays in jerks, and lives on the sudden accelerations of its soloists. Among which, finally we also see Harry Kane: triggered by Maguire, the Tottenham striker is free with a feint of his marker, but Tomas Vaclik is overtaken. While Wembley cheers for Croatia’s lead over Scotland, the Czechs are close to equal: from distance Tomas Holes calls Jordan Pickford to save for a corner. Patrick Shick does not touch the ball, on the other hand the advance of Luke Shaw, who sacrifices himself on Jakub Jankto’s half overhead, Tomas Soucek sends nothing to the bottom. The inertia does not change in the second half, with the British attacking in sudden gusts, but without continuity. With the passing of the minutes, however, the pace decreases dramatically, as if the two teams, already sure of the passage of the turn even before taking the field, sanction a pact of non-belligerence. Pickford is never called into question, and when Jordan Henderson resolves a scrum in the Czech area, his goal is rightly disallowed for offside. It is the last jolt of a match that sums up the path so far of the English: two goals (by the same player) that are worth seven points in three games, a qualification in the sign of maximum efficiency. Now the round of 16: England one between France, Germany and Portugal.

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