Southgate finds weak points in England rout

Russian fans danced in the streets of Kaliningrad on the Baltic and kissed strangers in Vladivostok in the Far East after their team defied all expectations to reach the World Cup quarter-finals.

In the Black Sea resort of Sochi, thousands of fans with Russian flags draped around their shoulders watched a giant screen transfixed and cars in central Moscow honked from dusk till dawn.

A mixture of disbelief and jubilation is gripping the host nation after their team pulled off one of the biggest World Cup upsets in recent memory, sending 2010 champions Spain packing after a penalty shootout decided their last-16 tie.

"It's great. Unbelievable. We are champions," 27-year old Muscovite Anna Glazkova said after Sunday's match. We believe we will now be in the final with Brazil."

The penalty shootout turned goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev into a national hero after a backs-to-the-wall performance in which they had just over a quarter of possession.

"What is there to hide, we were hoping for penalties," Akinfeev admitted to reporters.

It is the type of honesty that is endearing this rag-tag team of journeymen to a nation unused to celebrating its football team.

Russia is at heart an ice hockey country in which the beautiful game is played -- but not necessarily very well.

The chant often filling Russian stadiums during matches is "shai-bu!" -- the word for "hockey puck" -- a teasing reminder to the footballers that their hockey counterparts know how to score.

But the roar of the 80,000-crowd packed into Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium -- the same word echoing in bars and metro stations and shouted in Komsomolsk-on-Amur 6,000 kilometres (3,800 miles) to the east -- was "Ro-ssi-ya!" over and over again.

"Hurray!" Russian cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev tweeted from the International Space Station after watching the match streamed live on a floating laptop.

"I always knew we could do it," a shaman from Siberia told the national Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper.

Subjected to racist insults after missing the decisive penalty of England's shootout defeat in the Euro 2020 final, Bukayo Saka buried that nightmare on Saturday with a superb individual goal and spot-kick success against Switzerland.

"To come back from something like that was really difficult. I used that to make me stronger. Today I took the chance and I'm happy," said England's man-of-the-match.

Only 19 during that infamous shootout loss to Italy at Wembley, Saka's confidence could have been shattered by the invective he and other Black players received online.

But he recovered quickly - helped by coach Gareth Southgate's support, a massive groundswell of public affection, and a backlash against the abusers - and continued to show fine form for Arsenal in the Premier League and for England.

Now Saka is a popular figure and, at age 22, almost a veteran of the national team, with 38 appearances and 12 goals.

Saturday's game may have been the most special of them all.

Saka first hit a glorious curling equaliser when England were 1-0 down in their quarter-final against the Swiss and on their way out of the tournament. Then, when the game finished at 1-1 after extra time, he was one of England's five successful penalty-takers in the 5-3 shootout victory.

'PROUD OF MYSELF'

The total focus on his face as he stepped up for England's third penalty gave way to a massive smile as the ball nestled into the corner.

"Last time we took a penalty shootout at the Euros, you all know what happened. I'm so proud of everyone how we got over the line," he said. "I felt that we dominated the whole game, that the chance (for a goal) will come. And it did come and I was the one that took it, so I'm proud of myself for that."

Coach Southgate, whose consolation of Saka at the last Euros was one of the abiding images of the tournament and remains a painful sight for England fans, said he could not be prouder of his young charge.

"He is so brave. He's one of our best. So we were never in any question that he was going to take one (a penalty). But we all know what he went through. And to deliver as he did."

England's footballing history is littered with painful shootout failures, but Saka said he felt calm in the moment.

"You fail once but I'm the sort of guy who wants to put myself in the position again. I know there's a lot of nervous people watching, like my family, but I kept my cool and scored my penalty," he said.

As England thrashed Panama 6-1 on Sunday Prince William, the president of the Football Association, was flying into Jordan for a historic Middle East tour.

The Duke of Cambridge missed the momentous game that helped England ease into the World Cup last 16 but caught a replay at the home of his host Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah.

The heir to the Jordanian throne posted pictures on his Instagram account late Sunday showing him and William watching a replay of the game on a huge flat television screen.

The pair are seen sitting on a couch in what appears to be a recreation room in Beit al-Ordon, the private residence of Jordan's royal family in the Hummar district west of Amman.

A devoted Aston Villa fan, William, 36, is wearing beige pants and a tie-less sky blue shirt, while 23-year-old Hussein, is wearing a short-sleeved T-shirt and jeans.

"Having a relaxing evening with His Royal Highness Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, after his first day in #OurJordan," Hussein wrote in a caption that accompanied one of two pictures of the pair.

"Watching the replay of the England game that we missed earlier today," says another caption showing the cavernous room where the two princes are watching the game.

William arrived Saturday in Jordan at the start of a Middle East tour that will see him become the first British royal to pay official visits to both Israel and the Palestinian territories.

The visit by the second in line to the British throne has been billed as a chance to bond with Hussein, a fellow graduate of Britain's Royal Sandhurst Military Academy.

Lee Carsley will step up from his role as England under-21 manager to take temporary charge of the Three Lions, the English Football Association (FA) announced on Friday.

Gareth Southgate stepped down as England boss after eight years in charge in the aftermath of losing the Euro 2024 final to Spain last month.

Carsley could now follow Southgate's path by graduating from the under-21 setup into the senior role.

The 50-year-old will oversee Nations League fixtures against the Republic of Ireland and Finland in September and could remain in the role for longer depending on how quickly the FA finalise their search for Southgate's successor.

"Carsley will step up from his role in charge of the MU21s (men's under-21s) initially for September's fixtures away to Republic of Ireland and at home to Finland," the FA said in a statement.

"But with a view to remaining in the position throughout autumn while the FA's recruitment process for a new permanent head coach continues."

Carsley won 40 caps for the Republic of Ireland as a player and made over 300 Premier League appearances with Blackburn, Coventry, Everton and Birmingham.

In 2023 he led England to a first win at the under-21 Euros since 1984 and is familiar with a number of the current senior squad due to various coaching roles across the FA's development teams.

However, he lacks senior managerial experience apart from short caretaker spells at Brentford and Birmingham.

"It's an honour to step up and lead this England squad on an interim basis," said Carsley.

"As I am very familiar with the players and the cycle of international football, it makes sense for me to guide the team while the FA continues the process to recruit a new manager.

"My main priority is to ensure continuity and our goal is to secure promotion in the UEFA Nations League."

'Fantastic coach' 

England will also face Greece in the second tier of the Nations League after being relegated from the last version of the competition in 2022.

FA CEO Mark Bullingham said: "Lee is a fantastic coach who is well known to the majority of our current senior squad having worked with most at international or club level.

"He offers us a very strong interim solution and we are confident he will perform well in the UEFA Nations League games ahead. We are grateful to Lee for stepping up to manage the team while we continue with our recruitment process."

Former Chelsea boss Graham Potter and Newcastle manager Eddie Howe are among the other names linked with the job.

Jurgen Klopp has dismissed any notion he could return to England so swiftly after leaving Liverpool, while Pep Guardiola on Friday refused to entertain speculation he could take over when his contract at Manchester City expires at the end of the season.

Blessed with a richly-talented generation of players, Southgate transformed England's fortunes at major tournaments.

During his tenure, England reached two Euros finals, plus a World Cup semi-final and quarter-final. However, he departed without ending his nation's wait since the 1966 World Cup to win a major tournament.

That is the task for whoever succeeds Southgate on a permanent basis with the likes of Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka still in their prime years for the 2026 World Cup and a Euros on home soil in 2028.

While England already have one foot in the knockout round of Euro 2024 and can finish no lower than third in their group, they need to make their presence felt at a tournament that has seen optimism around them wither after two lacklustre games.

England need to avoid defeat against Slovenia in Cologne to guarantee progress and will definitely top the group with a win. If Denmark fail to beat Serbia in the other Group C match, England will qualify regardless of their result against Slovenia.

Slovenia will go through to the last 16 if they win.

Supporters and pundits have levelled scathing criticism at Gareth Southgate's England side after their 1-0 win over Serbia and anxious 1-1 draw with Denmark that saw fans boo them off the pitch.

Southgate had some concerning post-game comments, pointing to the players' conditioning after long and gruellingly seasons.

"We are not pressing well enough, with enough intensity," he said.

The biggest questions are around what changes Southgate will make after he went with the same lineup in both games for the first time in 16 matches.

Southgate took off Trent Alexander-Arnold, who is struggling out of position in midfield, early in the second half against Denmark, and forwards Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka, and Phil Foden followed some 15 minutes later.

Kane, who said he is fully fit for the game amid speculation about a back injury that bothered him late in the Bundesliga season, hit back at former England players for their scathing criticism of the team's performances.

"I would never want to be disrespectful to any player, especially a player who has worn the shirt and knows what it is like to play for England," said Kane.

"(But) the bottom line is we haven't won anything as a nation for a long, long time and a lot of these players were part of that as well and they know how tough it is."

Slovenia were heading for their first victory at a European Championship when Serbia's Luka Jovic equalised seconds before the final whistle to snatch a 1-1 draw.

"We have proven that we deserve to be at Euro 2024," Slovenia manager Matjaz Kek said. "Football can be really cruel. But I am convinced that this team will get its satisfaction."

England's defence could have their hands full coping with Slovenia striker Benjamin Sesko, who has drawn comparisons to Manchester City's towering forward Erling Haaland.

"(England) know we have played two great games, they are not at their best, they're still great of course, but I think now is the best opportunity to play against them and show them the best we can," said Sesko.