England striker Ivan Toney emphasized the importance of capitalizing on their second chance at Euro 2024 after a dramatic late comeback against Slovakia secured their place in the quarterfinals. Jude Bellingham's overhead kick five minutes into stoppage time saved Gareth Southgate's team from an early exit in the last 16, avoiding a potential embarrassment. Toney, making his first tournament appearance as a late substitute, assisted Harry Kane in scoring the winning goal in extra time, setting up a quarterfinal clash with Switzerland on Saturday.
Reflecting on the dramatic turnaround, Toney expressed the team's determination to advance further. He noted the relief in the dressing room post-match and emphasized the need to "kick on" with the character and quality present in the squad. Bellingham, who faced media criticism after struggling in previous matches, silenced his critics with his crucial goal. Southgate also dealt with a challenging atmosphere after a disappointing 0-0 draw against Slovenia, which had secured England's top spot in Group C.
Despite being one of the tournament favorites with a talented squad featuring top performers like Kane, Bellingham, and Phil Foden, England joins other highly-regarded teams such as France and Portugal in the last eight despite some underwhelming performances. Toney acknowledged the constant expectations and criticism but stressed the importance of focusing on their goal of reaching the final. He highlighted the need to manage opinions and maintain their efforts to achieve success.
Southgate admitted that Toney was frustrated with his late introduction during the Slovakia game, but the striker managed to channel his emotions positively, playing a significant role in extra time. Toney described how winning helped reconcile any frustrations, stating that players naturally want more game time. All 26 members of Southgate's squad trained on Wednesday, with left-back Luke Shaw hoping to make his first appearance since February against Switzerland in Duesseldorf.
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