Tuesday night produced one of the most important wins in English football history
Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane goals gave the Three Lions a 2-0 victory over Germany in the quarter-finals of Euro 2020 – the country’s first victory over Die Mannschaft in a knockout match in a major tournament since the 1966 World Cup final.
Smiles were painted on faces around Wembley, demons rested and Gareth Southgate was justified.
??? Incredible scenes at the last whistle!
England have beaten Germany in a knockout match at a major tournament. # ENG 2-0 #GER
? Response: https://t.co/0Sp2UauTpF#bbceuro2020 # euro2020 pic.twitter.com/47yIAw8a2s
Today’s match (@BBCMOTD) June 29, 2021
There have been many complaints about the managers’ use of three behind during these European Championships and as news broke that Southgate would return to that system for the collision with Germany, England fans could have worried that their side would not take the game to their opposition.
But it was that decision that contributed so much to the final 2-0 victory.
Finally, Luke Shaw, who woke up with his attacking skills after half time, was an integral part of both goals. The first came with an overload on the left side when Jack Grealish (who once again made important contributions from the bench) put the ball out for an unmarked Shaw to whip in for Sterling to hit.
And the other came from the Manchester United man’s desire to rise – he drove forward and found Grealish beautifully before the replacement went over to Kane to open his Euro 2020 account.
The whole site looked much freer than they have had for large parts of the tournament so far. With the wing-backs stretching the game naturally, wings Sterling and Bukayo Saka could come in, pick up the ball in nice space pockets and open the lines with their pressure and drive towards Germany’s backline – all while pulling markers miles out of position.
Raheem Sterling celebrates opening goal in England’s 2-0 win over Germany / Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA / Getty Images
With these two occupying spaces between midfield and defense, it allowed Declan Rice and especially Kalvin Phillips to assert themselves and aim to – as Phillips said they had to do recently – “take more risks on the ball”.
The Leeds man’s performance was not as sensational as his in England’s opening match against Croatia, but it was close. Putting in biting challenges as he tackled, raising his head to find his way forward, line splitting, passing rather than sideways balls, and swinging into advanced spaces with the permission of the top three three who bluffed Germany’s backline around – he was the key to open Die Mannschaft up and create opportunities.
And behind all these key figures who moved the opposition and created chances up there was a back three of Kyle Walker, John Stones and Harry Maguire.
A trio of South Yorkshire men who were rude, immobile and attentive to everything that came their way. The back three provided cover for the wing-backs who eventually broke free from their shackles and took advanced positions on the flanks, as well as for the midfield duo to take risks in exciting – and eventually winning – football.
England are in the quarter-finals of # Euro2020 after beating Germany.
Harry Kane sums it up perfectly …
?? Watch: https://t.co/HtdRT4VzgS#bbceuro2020 # ENGGER pic.twitter.com/WmGpHdog8t
Today’s match (@BBCMOTD) June 29, 2021
Southgate’s side were accused of being largely uninspiring in their group furniture, but with a move that many may have seen as conservative, England have come out in battle.
With wingers playing without fear, and the rest of the side using that effect to their creative advantage, the three Lions showed what they can in their 2-0 victory over Germany and, while it (mostly) ironically, at this rate it can just come home.
