3 things to watch in pivotal England-Slovakia clash
England and Slovakia lock horns Monday in Saint-Etienne in a Group B fixture rife with implications for both sides.
Roy Hodgson's lot can secure first place in Group B with a win or advance with a draw if Wales suffers defeat to Russia. Slovakia can guarantee itself a spot in the knockout stage with a victory or a draw depending on how the Welsh fare in Toulouse.
Here's the Group B table ahead of Monday's matches:
| POS. | TEAM | GP | GD | PTS. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | England | 2 | +1 | 4 |
| 2 | Wales | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 3 | Slovakia | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 4 | Russia | 2 | -1 | 1 |
As Hamsik goes, so too does Slovakia
Few teams in the contest depend on one player as much as Slovakia relies on midfield star Marek Hamsik.
Able to assume several roles, the Napoli standout occupied more of an attacking position in Jan Kozak's squad than with club, which had stunning results against Russia. The 28-year-old was unplayable in scoring after a probing ball from distance set up Vladimir Weiss' opener in the 2-1 victory. It was Slovakia's first-ever Euro win since the country gained independence in 1993.
"Not only that (Hamsik) scored, but in all the 90 minutes he was working for the team. He did great and he is very important for us. We just hope and believe that he can carry on playing like this in the next game," Slovakian skipper Martin Skrtel said ahead of Monday's clash in Saint-Etienne.
While Kozak is likely to employ a 4-2-3-1 with Hamsik, Weiss, and Robert Mak in support of Ondrej Duda, the mohawked midfielder may very well find himself the most advanced of the quartet if the Slovaks fall behind.
Numbers favour England
England and Slovakia have met three times, with the Three Lions taking every tilt, the last of which was a one-sided 4-0 international friendly victory in 2009.
Seven of England's eight goals against Slovakia have come in the 60th minute or later, and the underdogs have yet to keep a clean sheet in any of their previous six major tournament games.
Those numbers favour the English, but they're hardly as relevant as the two sides' displays in France.
Mediocre against Wales in defeat, Slovakia dominated Russia courtesy of Hamsik's incisive runs, suddenly thrusting the nation into the knockout-stage picture. Heading into the tournament, very little was expected of Slovakia, and few pundits pegged Kozak's lot as dark horses in the same light as Austria and others of a similar profile.
Looking to equal its only other major tournament standard - a quarter-final loss to the Netherlands at the 2010 World Cup - it'd be daft to count out the Slovaks.
On the other side of the discussion is England, a seemingly revitalised outfit led by a spine built on form and not pedigree, as with previous entries.
Typically dull and drab, Hodgson's latest incarnation had 21 more shots than its opponents over the first two matches at Euro 2016, but only one more goal. With the gaffer likely to start an attacking duo that scored both goals in the 2-1 victory over Wales, Skrtel and his defensive mates will want to avoid getting pinned back.
Vardy and Sturridge pairing to shine
With Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling relegated to the bench thanks to stunning displays from Daniel Sturridge and Jamie Vardy, England's suddenly an attacking force.
While Hodgson is likely to rest a half-dozen starters, with Wayne Rooney and the full-back pairing of Kyle Walker and Danny Rose slated to sit, the emphasis will be on the strike duo of Kane and Sturridge.
Vardy, 29, has scored in four of his last five matches for country and appears to have a bit of the Pippo Inzaghi "right place at the right time" to pair with blinding pace, while Sturridge is one of the tournament's most lethal strikers. Slovakia is in trouble.