England all-but qualify for Euro 2020 with thumping win in game marred by racist abuse
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TRUE to their word they stood up for a better world.
Eleven proud Englishmen left the field with a win and an emphatic, compelling message for the racists.
This squad has ambassadorial qualities, reminding the sections of low-life slime in Bulgaria that it will not be tolerated.
Good on them.
An environment like this, a toxic mix of disgraceful and shameful abuse and chants is no way to remember a game of football.
This is the future for the sport in many venues, with stoppages, delays and spotters in crowds relaying messages to fourth officials.
Goal. Restart. Report racial abuse. Repeat.
England’s threshold was met after 29 minutes when Gareth Southgate leapt off his seat in the dug-out. He is more than just a manager now.
The volatile atmosphere was in the air because England’s fans had twice been singing ‘You racist b******s, you know what you are’ before the game stopped.
Sadly the travelling fans were proved right.
Southgate, the mediator, was in the ear of the fourth official, demanding action after Tyrone Mings was first to report racist abuse.
Poor lad.
It is no way for Mings to remember the first time he pulled on an England jersey.
When that sweat-soaked red shirt is framed and hanging up inside the hallway of his Midlands home, he will tell his grandkids one day of the night he was targeted because of the colour of his skin.
Can you believe that in the modern world? It beggars belief.
Most players walk into the dressing room to be congratulated with high-fives from England team-mates and a phone in meltdown with hundreds of text messages.
This was a very different experience.
The pitchside microphones picked up the monkey chants, the steady stream of abuse bouncing off the terraces at the Vasil Levski Stadium.
It was 29 minutes in, with England already two goals in front after strikes from Marcus Rashford and Ross Barkley.
The game stopped, with England players forming huddles as they waited for the Uefa protocol to kick in.
There was an announcement in Bulgarian and English — the first plea for the bigots to button it.
Unfortunately, they could not be contained.
With the game out of Bulgaria’s reach, when Barkley scored his second after 32 minutes, groups of home fans started looking for something to do.
Three down at home, most fans would give the players pelters, demand the manager be sacked, or get in the queue for half-time refreshment.
This lot are different.
They responded with Nazi salutes, sticking their right arms into the air in an act of reprehensible defiance.
Croatian ref Ivan Bebek stopped the game again, seeking the thoughts of Southgate and fourth official Mario Zebek on the touchline.
By then the result had lost its relevance, but the goals must be recorded for the scrapbooks of players’ parents.
They will have watched, and grimaced, just like the rest of us witnessing primeval behaviour inside this wretched place.
England had put Friday’s surprise 2-1 defeat by the Czech Republic behind them, carving open the lamentable Bulgaria defence after seven minutes.
Barkley assisted, but Rashford’s delicious dummy on Georgi Terziev followed by a whipped effort that went through Plamen Iliev’s hands was a classy moment.
Rashford, called a “work in progress” by Southgate last month, suddenly looked the business out there.
So did his team-mates, against pathetic opposition. England scored again after 20 minutes when Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane swapped passes on the edge of the area.
Sterling shot across goal and Barkley followed the ball to tap in at the far post. Easy.
The third arrived after 32 minutes when Kane crossed and Barkley steered it beyond Bulgaria’s hapless keeper.
When the fourth arrived deep into first-half stoppage time it was entirely plausible that it would be the final act of the night.
Kane assisted again, crossing for Sterling to score England’s fourth.
Most managers spend the half-time break composing their thoughts, taking counsel from coaching staff before delivering a speech to the players.
Southgate became a foreign diplomat, spending most of it in the tunnel talking to various Uefa officials.
It is a wonder the second half started at all.
When it did, Kane got his fourth assist of this qualifier when he sent Sterling speeding through on goal before he tucked his effort neatly beyond Bulgaria’s keeper.
Kane finally got the goal his performance deserved, making room for himself in the area five minutes from time to score England’s sixth.
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This was a comprehensive victory, but the reality is this should be the start of something bigger, a wider conversation after a shameful night for the sport.
It was a powerful response by the Three Lions, sending a message out to the watching world that England are all about the Equal Game.
Did you hear that Bulgaria? Sadly not.