Skip to content

Vardy, Sturridge rescue England in late show against Wales

PAUL ELLIS / AFP / Getty

Lens - Jamie Vardy and Daniel Sturridge rose from the bench to score as England came from behind to defeat neighbour Wales 2-1 in Thursday's all-British Euro 2016 clash in Lens.

Just as he had in Wales's opening 2-1 win over Slovakia, Gareth Bale put Chris Coleman's side ahead with a long-range free-kick that England goalkeeper Joe Hart could only fumble into the net.

But Vardy and Sturridge came on at half-time and after the former had equalised in the 56th minute, the latter smuggled in a stoppage-time winner that fired Roy Hodgson's men to the top of the group.

Wales is a point back in second place, above Slovakia on head-to-head record, and needs to beat Russia in Toulouse on Monday to guarantee one of the two automatic qualifying berths.

A draw against Slovakia in Saint-Etienne will suffice for England, and the Three Lions will approach the game with renewed optimism after belatedly kicking their tournament into gear.

It was the 102nd meeting between the teams, but the first at a major championship, and the boxy, British-style Stade Bollaert-Delelis provided an ideal setting on a day when fears of fan violence failed to materialise.

Bale, Welsh antagoniser-in-chief in the build-up to the game, had been a peripheral figure, but three minutes before half-time he strode onto centre-stage. Wayne Rooney's foul on Hal Robson-Kanu gave Wales a free-kick 35 yards out in a central position. Though Bale's shot had vicious pace and dip, Hart should have done better than palm it inside his left-hand post.

Related - Watch: Bale lights up Lens with another absurd free-kick

It made the Real Madrid forward the first Wales player to score against England since Mark Hughes, on his debut, in May 1984.

When the half-time whistle came, it drew a cascade of boos from the England end. Hodgson was quick to react, sending on Vardy and Sturridge at the break, and it paid dividends.

Sturridge's flighted cross from the left was knocked down at the back post and Vardy swivelled to tuck away his fourth international goal.

Related - Watch: Vardy's close-range strike brings England level with Wales

He was standing around four yards offside, but replays showed that the previous touch had come from Wales captain Ashley Williams.

The on-pitch scene soon resembled the Alamo as Hodgson threw on teenage Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford, leaving England with four of its five named forwards on the pitch.

Despite the charge it seemed Wales would hold out, only for Sturridge to collect Dele Alli's clever flick and steer a shot past Wayne Hennessey in the second minute of stoppage time, silencing the Welsh hordes.

Advertisement

RELATED NEWS