Key events
More reaction and analysis
David Hytner was at St James’ Park. His verdict has landed, and here it is! Thanks for reading this MBM. Nighty night.
Gareth Southgate talks to Channel 4. “Our opponents were dogged and determined … physically it was a good workout … we had to be patient … we felt in the end we’d created the chances … I thought the scoreline reflected the performance … [Palmer and Eze] were very good … they both played with a freedom … [Eze] has lovely movement to go past people through the centre of the pitch … he’s got power … really happy with what he did … [Palmer] was trying to be a little too precise to open up the shot … maybe if he got his shot away a couple of times he could have had a shot himself … [Kane] will start on Friday … he’s trained all week, no problems … there were lots of individual things I was really pleased with.”
Harry Kane speaks to Channel 4. “A really good game for us … it’s been a good camp … good preparation … there’s been some things of course we can do better but it’s a good night for us … Cole Palmer has had an unbelievable season … we’re very happy to have him … delighted he got his goal … we’re going to need all of our players chipping in with important goals at the tournament, so the more people feeling good, the better … I’m feeling good, a lot of the end of the season was precaution … in the end it was a good chance to get a break at the end of a tough season … I should be ready to go come the group stage.”
Cole Palmer also talks. “It’s a great feeling … the first goal for my country … everyone wants to score for their country … when it went in I was buzzing … course [Kane, next to him grinning] would have took it, but it was just before he came on so thankfully I got to score! … tonight wasn’t my best game … hopefully I can go to Germany!”
England huffed and puffed in the first half, but they were much improved in the second. Cole Palmer demonstrated his cold side from the penalty spot to mark his full debut with a goal; Trent Alexander-Arnold pinged the passes around and scored a peach; Jack Grealish, supposedly at risk of losing his place in the tournament squad, came on and sparkled; Eberechi Eze’s first-half dribble was an ersatz hat-in-ring throwback to Gazza against the Czechs; and Harry Kane did what Harry Kane does. Ultimately, it was a comfortable 3-0 win, and if you can chalk up one of those when you’re far from your best, with plenty of players missing, it’s not a bad position to be in at all. Iceland next on Friday!
FULL TIME: England 3-0 Bosnia and Herzegovina
It wasn’t perfect, but there were plenty of plus-points as well, and 3-0 is 3-0 is 3-0. Hey, there’s no point in peaking too soon.
90 min +2: There will be four additional minutes. The first two slip by without incident. Another goal would be cruel on Bosnia and Herzegovina. Three is probably over-egging it already. They’ve worked hard and put in a staunch display. A lot of new caps and kids. The scoreline’s no good, yet there’s something in there for a future rebuild.
90 min: Bowen had his head in his hands momentarily, as Konsa inadvertently blocked his shot, denying him a first goal for England. But he quickly sees the funny side as Kane follows up. Branthwaite giggling as well. Good times. Team England with the team spirit.
GOAL! England 3-0 Bosnia and Herzegovina (Kane 89)
Grealish again cute on the left. He slips Maddison towards the byline. Maddison cuts back for Bowen, who shoots towards the bottom right. It’s heading in, but Konsa gets in the way. No matter, as the ball rebounds to Kane, who forces the ball home from close range.
88 min: Gallagher has been impressive in his industry, too. He drives down the middle and space opens up for him. He threads a shot towards the bottom left. Corner. From which …
87 min: Alexander-Arnold had put on a passing masterclass in this second half. Well, Grealish paid him back for the glorious crossfield pass he received three minutes earlier. Grealish has been extremely impressive since coming on.
GOAL! England 2-0 Bosnia and Herzegovina (Alexander-Arnold 85)
Grealish makes a bit of space for himself to the left of the D, checks back, then loops a cross towards Alexander-Arnold on the right-hand edge of the six-yard box. Alexander-Arnold meets the dropping ball by steering it across Vasilj and into the bottom left. That’s a wonderful finish, with an assist to match.
83 min: A double change for Bosnia and Herzegovina as Ahmedhodžić and Gigovic make way for Burnic and Muharemovic.
82 min: Alexander-Arnold plays a sensational swerving crossfield ball towards Grealish on the left. Grealish doesn’t have to break stride to take receipt, before sashaying infield and teeing up Maddison, who would surely bash home but for slipping as he shaped to shoot. That would have been a hell of a goal.
80 min: Grealish dances down the inside-left channel and upon reaching a bit of space just inside the box thinks about shooting, then defers to Kane. Bad choice. Kane is swarmed, then decides against trusting Gomez on the overlap. Attack over.
78 min: All of the substitutions have jiggered whatever rhythm this match had.
76 min: Branthwaite clatters agriculturally into the back of Gigovic and picks up his first booking for England, 14 minutes after coming on. A fair chance that will have amused Sean Dyche.
74 min: A triple-change by Bosnia and Herzegovina, as Bičakčić, Demirović and Gazibegović are replaced by Huseinbasic, Tabaković and Mujakić.
72 min: Kane spins down the inside-left channel and hits a screamer towards the top right. It’s oscillating wildly through the air, and Vasilj does well to parry it around the post. Nothing comes of the corner, Bowen’s header at the near post hitting Katić on the arm, but at such close range it never could be a penalty.
71 min: Grealish, Wharton and Konsa combine patiently down the left. Konsa eventually delivers, and Kane competes at the far post. Radeljić does enough to put Kane off, and the England captain – who had been handed the armband back by Trippier upon his departure – eyebrows harmlessly wide.
69 min: Kane takes his first whack of the night, striding down the right and earning a corner with a big, looping deflection. Maddison takes it, and Kane tries to flick home at the near post, but can’t wrap his boot around the ball. Goal kick.
67 min: Branthwaite, minutes into his England debut, competes for the corner at the near post but can’t connect. No matter, as England come again, Grealish curling in viciously from the left. Bowen can’t get a head on the ball, six yards out, and Kane isn’t able to recycle on the right.
66 min: Gallagher wins a corner down the right, but only after clattering into Radeljić earlier in the move. No foul, yet it could have been a booking. Maddison to take the set piece.
64 min: Gazibegović cynically brings down Bowen and goes into the book.
63 min: … with England also sending on Branthwaite, Grealish, Maddison and Wharton. Trippier, Guéhi, Watkins and Eze make way. Meanwhile for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Huseinbasic replaces Šarić.
61 min: That’s Palmer’s first goal for England and his last touch of the ball tonight. He’s replaced by Harry Kane, who must be wishing he’d have been sent on 60 seconds earlier. That’s not the only change, by the way. There’s a tranche of them and it takes a while …
GOAL! England 1-0 Bosnia and Herzegovina (Palmer 60 pen)
Palmer whistles the spot kick into the bottom right. Easy and simple as that. Vasilj went the right way, and may even have got a finger to it, but the penalty was hit so powerfully, there’s no stopping it!
Penalty for England!
59 min: Yep, Tahirović had a handful of the back of Konsa’s shirt. He’s booked and the referee points to the spot.
58 min: … but before it can be taken, VAR checks for a potential penalty. Did Konsa have his shirt pulled? The referee is heading over to the screen.
57 min: Gallagher wins a corner down the right. Alexander-Arnold swings it into the mixer. The ball comes back to Alexander-Arnold. Another corner. Take two. This one leads to a melee, Bowen’s effort flashing wide. Deflected, and it’ll be a third corner in a row.
56 min: Now it’s Gallagher’s turn to roll a lovely ball down the right flank. Bowen makes up ground before rolling infield for Palmer, who takes a touch just inside the area. He’s made himself space, but hesitates fractionally, and by the time he gets round to shooting, the chance is gone.
54 min: … nothing. But this is much better from England.
53 min: Alexander-Arnold is at the heart of everything right now. He flashes a pass down the inside-right channel for Palmer, suddenly in a bit of space on the edge of the box. His deflected shot earns a corner on the right, which leads to a corner on the left. From which …
51 min: England have certainly upped the tempo since the restart. Alexander-Arnold and Konsa combine down the right before the former sends a low cross in that’s deflected towards Vasilj at his near post. The keeper gathers.
49 min: Alexander-Arnold drops deep and, from the centre circle, floats a gorgeous ball down the inside-right channel for Watkins. Vasilj gets to it before Watkins can lob him with a telescopic leg, but only just, and only because the ball rears up off the turf. Had he managed to connect, that would have been a picture-book goal.
47 min: Palmer’s tenacity down the England right panics Radeljić into shipping possession. Bowen also swarms, and a corner is won. Alexander-Arnold swings it in from the right, and Watkins flashes a header over. If this instant burst of energy is anything to go by, England may have been given the what-for during the break.
England get the second half underway. No changes.
Half-time Euros-related entertainment. “Have you seen / heard this?” writes Simon McMahon. “I don’t think there’s an official song, but this ticks all the boxes, and knocks all that Three Lions nonsense into a cocked hat.”
It does indeed. On this very subject, let me humbly direct you to this piece from The Blizzard.
Half-and-half-time entertainment. “What’s the official beverage of today’s England match? The Alexander-Arnold Palmer?” – Peter Oh, who is here all week. Try the iced-tea-and-lemonade combo.
HALF TIME: England 0-0 Bosnia and Herzegovina
No goals, and one elegant Eberechi Eze dribble apart, nothing to get excited about. Bosnia and Herzegovina have been very comfortable.
45 min +1: An England shot! Bowen bursts in from the right and hits an unconvincing effort towards the bottom right. Vasilj gathers easily.
45 min: Bowen marches down the right and crosses deep. Trippier heads the ball back into the mixer from the other flank. Bosnia and Herzegovina hesitate but eventually clear their lines.
44 min: Other than that mistake, this half has petered out. It wasn’t exactly full-throttle in the first place.
42 min: Guéhi plays a blind Ian-Maatsen-in-the-Champions-League-final pass across the face of his own box, left to right. Hajradinović intercepts and shoots. His effort is deflected wide left with Pickford flailing. Nothing comes of the corner. England weren’t convincing in defence in the 2-2 draw against Belgium, and this is no better.
40 min: Palmer drops deep and attempts to find Watkins down the inside-right channel again. Goal kick. Nothing quite clicking for Experimental England yet.
39 min: England pass it around in the sterile style.