Hello, good evening and welcome to Czech Republic v England! On the one hand, this match doesn’t mean much – both sides are into the knockouts – but on the other hand it means plenty, given the varying quality of potential opponents. Except no one knows who they might be, a defeat might work out better than a victory, and you never know how good a draw is until you’ve made your way through it, so maybe we were right to begin with. Not really! Both sides could use a performance, both sides are repping for their families, and that’ll be more than enough to see us right.

Euro 2024 / Group Stage

Wembley / 22.06.2021

Czechia

Completed

England

R. Sterling(12')

Live

Live Updates

ByTim Hobbs

Updated 22/06/2021 at 20:53 GMT

28'

The resultant corner yileds another...

28'

Holes makes himself some space 25 yards out and seeing a shooting lane lets one go. For some reason, Pickford seems to see it late, but still has enough time to fling himself right to shove away.

26'

Maguire brings the ball out of defence and drills a tremendous daisy-cutter that sticks Kane in! He does really well to turn inside Kalas and there's a gap at the far post for the Thierry Henry; there's also Sterling screaming for a pass. Which do you think he picks? Indeed. He opens his body but as he shoots his standing foot slips a little and he punches a finish too close to Vaclik, who prangs away.

24'

Meantime Masopust gets away down the right and sticks a decent cross to the back post, except none of his mates are there to finish it so Walker chests back again. That looked even easier to mess up.

23'

England are pressing when the Czech Republic's back four have the ball. I wonder if they'll keep that up.

22'

Shaw concedes another free-kick and this one goes into the channel for Masopust. He chases, but Pickford gets there first with time to spare.

21'

I don't know, maybe if you two holding midfielders Grealish is a better option than Mount because he holds the ball.

20'

Looking again, Grealish's cross flicked off Coufal, but that's what happens when you attack and commit defenders.

18'

Shaw stretches for a ball he can't win, treating on Masopust's foot. Free-kick to the Czechs, who've got Soucek to aim for. Except they go short and can't move it quickly enough to get by England's press.

18'

Ah, Vlasic has put Croatia ahead against Scotland.

16'

...and it's nonsense, meeting the first man. It yields a corner nevertheless, which is taken by Grealish but is also poor. Saka, though, retrieves the ball and beats Boril who flattens him. Somehow, despite being right there, the ref ostentatiously waves play on.

15'

Walker chases hard to press down the right so Shaw goes on the left and when the ball is there to be won he wins it brilliantly, finding Grealish who's fouled. Saka will stick a cross into the box...

15'

Scotland v Croatia is still goalless. You can follow that one here:

Croatia - Scotland live - 22 June 2021 - Eurosport

14'

Before the game I was wondering if England had reached the point in the tournament at which their only option was to play well. That's happened in the past, but without as many quality attackers who know what to do and back themselves to do it.

12'

GOAL! Czech Republic 0-1 England (Sterling) Saka breaks in midfield and the ball makes its way over to the other side when Kane knocks off to Grealish. He duly attacks the nearest defender as is his wont, leaves them because he did so so quickly, and dinks a cross to the back post, over the head of Saka but right where Big Raheem Sterling is unmarked to head home!

11'

Walker digs a long one over the top and again Saka can't get there prior to Boril heading away. The ball falls for Kane, but a fair way out and at a fairly uncomfortable height, so he panels a volley well wide.

10'

Shaw clips a pretty decent ball to the back post and Stones is up, but he can't direct his header on target and goes wide of what is now the near post.

Kalas beats Kane to a header, introducing forearm to nape. Kane needs a little relax thereafter but is soon back up running about. England send the centre-backs forward for the free-kick, though it's only just inside the Czech half.

Coufal advances down the right again and bangs over a cross that Walker chests back to Pickford. Imagine trying that in a Sunday league game, never mind in an international tournament; it's ridiculous how good top professionals are.

Socek sweeps out to Coufal and he sticks one down the line for Masopust, but Stones eases over to clean up.

Saka has his first ball to chase but runs into Boril. There seems to be an opinion that he's earned his spot on the training pitch, and that sounds likely to me - but he also gave Boril an absolute going-over when Arsenal played Slavia not that long ago.

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