Francesco Calzona was just 30 seconds away from eliminating England and reaching the EURO 2024 quarter-finals, but a moment of Jude Bellingham magic and Harry Kane in stoppages sunk impressive Slovakia.
England will now face Switzerland in the quarter-final.
Since February, Calzona has balanced his role in charge of the Slovakia team with a caretaker manager position at Napoli, where in 2021-22 he was assistant manager to Luciano Spalletti. His line-up here included Napoli midfielder Stanislav Lobotka, Verona’s Ondrej Duda, former Milan man Juraj Kucka and ex-Inter defender Milan Skriniar. England failed to impress in the group stage with only one win and two draws, so brought in Kobbie Mainoo for Connor Gallagher in midfield.
Slovakia started strong, Kucka failing to bundle in a free kick, ex-Fiorentina man David Hancko’s cross-shot flashing across the face of goal and a desperate Marc Guehi block on Lukas Haraslin sent clear on goal.
Calzona’s men opened the scoring when a ball was flicked on by Kucka for David Strelec, who drew the defenders towards him only to place a slide-rule ball for Ivan Schranz to prod in from six yards.
Phil Foden tapped in from a couple of yards on 50 minutes, but was offside on the Kieran Trippier ball across the face of goal.
Strelec almost scored a shocker from midfield when John Stones passed it straight to him and Jordan Pickford was well off his line, but the lob went wide of an open goal.
Harry Kane turned a header wide from a free kick and Declan Rice came closest with a scorcher from outside the box that thumped the base of the near post.
Lobotka tested Pickford from distance, but the first England shot on target came at the 95th minute with a stunning Jude Bellingham overhead kick on the flicked on corner to force extra time.
That was a huge blow to Slovakia and they went behind within 60 seconds of extra time, as a set play bobbled around until the Kane header in from four yards.
It wasn’t over, as Peter Pekarik at the back post couldn’t keep the finish down sliding in on to a fierce cross-shot, but England clung on under constant pressure for the final whistle.
England 2-1 Slovakia (aet)
Schranz 25 (S), Bellingham 90+5 (E), Kane 91 (E)
Player statistic
| Marc Guehi |  |
3' | ||
| Kobbie Mainoo | |
7' | ||
| 13' | |
Juraj Kucka | ||
| Jude Bellingham | |
17' | ||
| 25' |  |
Ivan Schranz (Assist: David Strelec) | ||
| 45+1' | |
Milan Skriniar |
| 77' | |
Peter Pekarik | ||
| Jude Bellingham (Assist: Marc Guehi) |
|
90+5' |
| Harry Kane (Assist: Ivan Toney) |
|
91' | ||
| 108' | |
Denis Vavro | ||
| 114' | |
Norbert Gyomber |
Match statistic
Luckiest team in the world so overrated
That bit of Bellingham magic, could be a turning point for England after another dire performance.