Sunday June 13th 2021
England wins at the start
Traumpass banishes the curse of the start of the European Championship
The European Championship game between England and Croatia is a second favorite. But it is extremely dignified. Because the 2018 World Cup runner-up can’t think of anything compelling. A goal from Raheem Sterling brings victory – the template is extremely worth seeing.
England’s young ball magicians have finally banned the almost eternal curse of the botched European Championship start after 53 years. The highly bet Three Lions took sweet revenge for the lost World Cup semi-finals in 2018 in the first top game of the European Football Championship with a 1-0 (0-0) against Croatia – and they cheered England’s first victory at the European Championship opener in the tenth attempt since 1968 .
“It’s great to start with a success. It will be a tough road, but we got off to a good start. That is a good sign for the entire tournament,” said captain Harry Kane.
It was supposed to be a great start to the English tournament, sweeping the entire country away from the football temple of Wembley. But the most talented English team in a long time let themselves be pulled down to a moderate level by the experienced Croatians, after a good start the game flattened in front of 22,500 spectators – until Raheem Sterling (57th) used a brilliant pass from Kalvin Phillips. Other opponents of both teams in Group D are Scotland and the Czech Republic.
Sancho not even in the squad
The discussion about the brief kneeling down against racism before kick-off had drawn circles up to Prime Minister Boris Johnson – who initially refused to support, but then semi-gallantly switched to a friendlier course. National coach Gareth Southgate is clearly behind the message: “My players know the power of their voices. They know they can make a difference.” Nevertheless, there were boos again, but also a lot of applause.
Anyone who has last seen Jadon Sancho perform magic for Borussia Dortmund and then takes into account that the English did not even call him into their 23-man squad for the opening game, sees how strong the Three Lions offensive around Harry Kane is potentially. After just five minutes, the newly blanched Phil Foden (Manchester City) flicked the ball against the post with his left hand.
The attack in front of the aging conductor Luka Modric is also the showpiece of a Croatian team that is in upheaval after the lost World Cup final in 2018: Ante Rebic, Hoffenheim’s Andrej Kramaric and Ivan Perisic stormed. The defensive back four, which is actually a class weaker, was initially shaken up by Mason Mount and Sterling.
Nervous English hold their own
Croatia tormented their way into the game, attacks had rarely or never occurred until the former Bayern star Perisic (27th) missed a shot. However, when the English ball hunters struck, they played fast and steeply towards the Croatian goal. However, the pressure subsided after a good half hour: England became nervous.
The momentum didn’t come back even after the break. Croatia forced England to push the ball at the center line and kept Kane out of the game until his top chance (61st), with Rebic and the others lurking in front for a decisive chance. However, Sterling got it – and he used it. The English fans sang “Football’s coming home”, the hit of their home European championship in 1996, drunk with joy.
Croatia reared up. The former Frankfurt Rebic did not hit the ball correctly in a promising position (65th), Marcelo Brozovic pulled volley after a Modric corner (70th). In the final phase, the Dortmund Jew Bellingham came for Kane (82).
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