Going against the recent trend, Manchester United icon Roy Keane has heaped praise on Gareth Southgate’s England. Keane acknowledged the Three Lions were playing well below expectations but lauded them for grinding out results.
England Have Come To Life In EURO 2024
The Three Lions have gotten a lot of flak for not playing attractive soccer in EURO 2024. They bagged an unconvincing 1-0 victory over Serbia on Matchday 1, with Jude Bellingham popping up with the winner. On Matchday 2, they were held to a 1-1 draw by Denmark. Meanwhile, on Matchday 3, they played out a goalless draw with Slovenia.
Fans expected a more entertaining performance in the Round-of-16 clash against Slovakia, but England failed to deliver. They conceded in the 25th minute and could not find a way back until Bellingham scored an acrobatic overhead kick in injury time. Harry Kane then scored the winner for England in the first minute of extra time.
Slovakia had multiple chances to bounce back, but their finishing ultimately let them down.
Roy Keane Praises Three Lions’ Tenacity
While pundits and fans have criticized England for their unconvincing performances, Keane has looked at the bright side. Instead of slamming them for their lack of flair, he has lauded their tenacity, claiming England are very much in the hunt for the 2024 European Championship.
Speaking on ITV Sport, he said (via Irish Independent):
“You talk about performances, but also at this level it is about getting over the line and winning. Everyone wants a great performance, but if they keep getting results and going through? The next game always seems tough for you and if you perform like that you’re going to go out.
“But let’s see how they go. You have to give them praise. We were very critical at halftime, but they found a way to win. The top players found a moment. God help us when Bellingham starts playing well, but he produced huge moments and they’re getting over the line.”
Keane concluded by adding:
“You have to give credit where it’s due. They found a way to win, you have to give them credit for that. Some of the greatest satisfaction I’ve had in my career is where you didn’t play well but you win a game of football.”
England will return to action with their EURO 2024 quarter-final clash with Switzerland on Saturday evening (July 6). Overcoming the Swiss will land them in the path of either the Netherlands or Turkiye in the semi-finals.
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