England are set to face Slovakia in the Euro 2024 round-of-16 – meaning their potential path to the final can now be seen.
Originally, Gareth Southgate‘s squad looked likely to play against the Netherlands, until Georgia surprised everyone with a 2-0 victory over Portugal. Despite a series of lacklustre performances, England topped Group C.
With a 1-0 win over Serbia, a 1-1 draw against Denmark, and a goalless draw with Slovenia, they accumulated five points. Now, the Three Lions are setting their sights on the knockout stage.
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Due to France’s unexpected 1-1 draw with Poland, who were already out of the competition, England finds themselves on what is considered the easier side of the draw. This means they won’t have to face heavyweights like France, Portugal, Spain, and host nation Germany until the final.
The match against Slovakia is scheduled for 5pm UK time this Sunday, taking England back to Gelsenkirchen, where they started their campaign, reports the Mirror. Slovakia emerged from an unusual Group E, finishing third as all teams ended up with four points. Francesco Calzona’s team kicked off the tournament with a remarkable 1-0 victory over Belgium, followed by a 2-1 loss to Ukraine.
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They then secured a 1-1 draw with Romania, allowing both teams to progress. The victor of Sunday’s England versus Slovakia game will face the winner of Switzerland’s last-16 match against reigning champions Italy in the quarter-finals on Saturday, July 6. This match will kick-off at 5pm in Dusseldorf and could see England face the side that defeated them in the Euro 2020 final at Wembley.
The semi-final is next on the cards, meaning that if they are able to overcome the Azzurri, England’s potential key clash would be scheduled for Wednesday, July 10. The opposition could be Austria, Turkey, Romania or the Netherlands. The kick-off is set for 8pm at Borussia Dortmund’s stadium.
And of course, the grand finale will take place in Berlin on Sunday, July 10, with an 8pm kick-off most likely against a heavyweight side such as France or Spain. Here’s how England could make it to the final:
Round-of-16: Sunday, June 30 – England vs Slovakia (5pm, Gelsenkirchen).
Quarter-final: Saturday, July 6 – England vs Switzerland or Italy (5pm, Dusseldorf).
Semi-final: Wednesday, July 10 – England vs Romania, Netherlands, Austria or Turkey (8pm, Dortmund).
The final showdown is set for Sunday, July 14 – England will face off against one of the following: Spain, Georgia, Germany, Denmark, Portugal, Slovenia, France or Belgium (8pm, Berlin).