England’s journey in the Euro 2024 tournament faced a significant hurdle in the round of 16 as they clashed with Slovakia at the Arena AufSchalke in Germany on Sunday. The first half saw Slovakia take the lead through Ivan Schranz, who netted his third goal of the tournament, tying him with Jamal Musiala and Geroges Mikautadze for the top scorer position.
England’s attack struggled to find its rhythm in the initial stages, failing to register a single shot on target. This marked a worrying trend for the Three Lions, as it was the first time they had failed to do so in a knockout stage game at a major tournament since the 1986 World Cup quarterfinal against Argentina.
Four minutes into the second half, England seemed to have found their equalizer when Phil Foden directed the ball into the back of an empty net following a clever assist from Kieran Trippier. However, VAR intervened, ruling the goal out for offside after meticulously reviewing the footage and confirming that Foden was not behind the ball when Trippier played the pass.
The VAR decision proved a significant setback for England, as they were forced to chase the game against a resilient Slovakian side. The match continued with both teams fighting hard for a result, but England’s struggles to break down the Slovakian defense continued. The game ultimately ended with a 1-0 victory for Slovakia, sending them into the quarter-finals and bringing England’s Euro 2024 journey to a disappointing end.
