England 2-1 Slovakia LIVE RESULT – Euro 2024: Three Lions into last 8 as Bellingham and Kane lead dramatic turnaround

Bellingham defends gesture

JUDE BELLINGHAM has defended the controversial gesture he made after scoring for England against Slovakia.

The midfielder had been accused of taunting the opposition bench after celebrating his stoppage time equaliser on Sunday.

He wrote on X: "An inside joke gesture towards some close friends who were at the game.

"Nothing but respect for how that Slovakia team played tonight."

Bellingham lauds team

Jude Bellingham lauded the England team in his post-match interview with ITV.

He said: "I know what I can deliver in those moments. Regardless of what people say, I’ve done it this year for Madrid, I’ve done it for England before. Just happy to help the team.

“A good win, through to the next round. Very happy. It’s been tough the last week or so to keep the negative energy out of the camp. I think today they will have been ready for us. We showed the character that England’s missed. It’s very important to get through.

“I think the performance was really good until their goal and even after. We had massive control of the game, always threatening in the final third, maybe just lacking the final touch to create big chances. It’s going to be important for us going forward, definitely.

“Look at who came on. We’ve won this game together. Not me, not Harry, not the individual moments. It’s the likes of Ivan Toney, Eberechi Eze, Cole Palmer - Bukayo Saka going to left-back. It’s the sacrifice you make for the team and that’s the energy we need to keep regardless of what goes on.”

Southgate's confession

Gareth Southgate admitted he considered subbing Jude Bellingham off, before his dramatic late equaliser saved England from a Euros exit.

Southgate told ITV: “We were thinking should we take him off, but you know he is capable of those sorts of moments. We know in the game itself we needed to better with the ball, we couldn’t find the right solutions in the first half and we did it better in the second.

“Under that pressure they kept probing. In the end it is the old fashioned long throw that gets the goal, those moments can happen when you keep wearing a team down.”

'Best in England's history'

Harry Kane has hailed Jude Bellingham's late overhead kick as one of the 'best in England's history.'

“Jude does what Jude does, it was an unbelievable goal and it kept our tournament alive," he told ITV.

“I think it’s one of the best (goals) in our country’s history. What a player he is. He works so hard for the team.”

Rice puts in shift for boss

Declan Rice often gets overlooked when it comes to the plaudits on England victories.

He does the stuff that allows the creative players the freedom get forward at the other end of the pitch.

The Arsenal midfielder covered some distance out there today and was integral in keeping England in the game right up to the point where Jude Bellingham scored their late equaliser.

They're not coming home

It is amazing how quickly your fortunes can change in football.

The writing appeared to be on the wall and national team were having thoughts of heading back to a disgruntled country.

Somehow, they managed to turn the game around and break Slovakian hearts in the process.

For now, how they did it doesn't matter.

All eyes turn to next weekend's quarter-final with Switzerland and looking to get the job done.

Southgate given reprieve in Gelsenkirchen

As England headed into added time in the game, Gareth Southgate must have felt as though the writing was on the wall.

It seemed his stint as England manager was going to come to a very abrupt end.

Fast forward thirty minutes and he is now plotting a quarter-final against Switzerland.

Pundits and fans will still have a lot of awkward questions they will want answering but for now the dreams of winning the trophy in Germany are still alive and well.

When will England play in the quarter-finals?

England will now face Switzerland in the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 after narrowly beating Slovakia 2-1.

The last 8 clash will take place on Saturday, July 6 at Dusseldorf’s Merkur Spiel-Arena.

England vs Switzerland will kick off at 5pm.

Kane answers critics in true style

Many have questioned the contribution of the Bayern Munich striker so far in Euro 2024.

He answered his critics in the best way possible, by scoring the winner that takes them through to the quarter-finals.

Always a danger in the air, he rose to meet Toney's pass to thunder a header past Dubrovka.

Sore heads for work tomorrow

There will be some pints drunk across the country this evening.

Fans thought at one point that they would be drowning their sorrows but instead the dream of it 'coming home' lives on.

Those who had the foresight to book Monday off work will feel like the real winners right now.

Six days to get over the drama that unfolded now before they do it all again next Saturday against Switzerland.

Jude keeps Euro 2024 hopes alive

As it looked as though England were heading home from the tournament in Germany, one moment of magic saved the blushes of a country.

Marc Guehi flicked on a long throw to see Jude Bellingham try an audacious overhead kick to grab a last-gasp equaliser.

The Three Lions talisman does it again as his equaliser made pubs and down the country erupt and set them up for Harry Kane's winner to send them through to the quarter-finals.

Nobody could deny him his man of the match award.

Highs and lows of supporting England

For the majority of the second half the outlook was bleak for Gareth Southgate and his England team.

Jude Bellingham scored a 96th minute equaliser to take the match to extra-time.

Immediately after the short break, Ivan Toney assisted Harry Kane to give England the lead as the game was turned on its head.

The Three Lions held on to ensure they booked their place in the quarter-finals of Euro 2024.

FT: England 2-1 Slovakia

It is all smiles in the England camp right now.

As they celebrate with the fans, 'Sweet Caroline' plays on the stadium speakers.

The late-late show gives English fans some edge-of-the-seat drama in Germany.

View from SunSport's Tom Barclay in Gelsenkirchen

JUDE BELLINGHAM’S majestic overhead kick deep into stoppage time saved England from a humiliating Euros exit.

Gareth Southgate’s side had been utterly woeful and looked to be heading home thanks to Ivan Schranz’s clever finish. 

But Bellingham came to the rescue in the 96th minute, brilliantly firing into the corner after Marc Guehi had flicked on Kyle Walker’s long throw.

Remarkably, it was England’s first shot on target, summing how poor they had been.

But another one came soon after, as 53 seconds into extra-time, Harry Kane headed home from close range to set up a quarter-final with Switzerland.

It was as close a shave as it comes, and if they play like this against the Swiss, then they will be toast.

But for now, fans should just enjoy one of the most dramatic ends to a Three Lions game ever.