England wins Group D, Croatia and Czech Republic advance
England won Group D on Tuesday despite scoring just twice in its opening three Euro 2020 matches - the fewest goals scored by a group winner in tournament history.
Raheem Sterling scored both goals, firing first in England's opener against Croatia and again in Tuesday's 1-0 victory over the Czech Republic.
Croatia also advanced to the knockout round with a 3-1 win over Scotland, beating the Czech Republic to second place in Group D on goals scored. The Czechs still managed to reach the round of 16 with four points as one of the tournament's best third-place finishers.
| # | Team | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | England | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7 |
| 2 | Croatia | 4 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| 3 | Czech Republic | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| 4 | Scotland | 1 | 5 | -4 | 1 |
England coach Gareth Southgate responded to his team's goalless draw with Scotland by starting Aston Villa playmaker Jack Grealish and Arsenal youngster Bukayo Saka against the Czechs, and both laid claim to permanent spots in the lineup. Grealish set up Sterling's goal with an inviting cross from inside the area, while the 19-year-old Saka earned Man of the Match honors for his enterprising display at Wembley Stadium.
But the Three Lions collectively struggled to impose themselves, with their last shot of the game coming in the 26th minute.
Croatia, meanwhile, finally discovered its scoring touch after a difficult start to Euro 2020. Nikola Vlasic, Luka Modric, and Ivan Perisic found the back of the net to bury Scotland's hopes of advancing for the first time.
Croatia will meet the Group E runner-up on June 28, while England will face France, Germany, Portugal, or Hungary in the round of 16 on June 29.