England’s 55 year wait for a knockout victory over Germany is finally over, Gareth Southgate’s 1996 penalty miss redeemed as his side progress to the quarter finals of Euro 2020 with a two-nil victory over their old foe. Southgate’s team selection with three at the back and two holding midfielders had been questioned by a few for being too negative before the game but ultimately it was the platform that England’s victory was built upon, and Kalvin Phillips was at the heart of it. The doubters will question what Rice and Phillips bring to the side with so many exciting, attacking players on the bench. But the evidence is clear, after keeping Kovacic and Modric quiet in the group stages they snuffed out the threat of Kroos, Havertz and Muller last night.
England’s opening scorer Raheem Sterling clearly appreciates the work done by the two holding players. Speaking in his post-match interview he said;
The two boys in midfield Declan Rice and Phillips were class. They ate up ground, they were animals in there and it was a great team performance.
Since impressing in the opening game against Croatia, Phillips has gone on to play every minute in the tournament so far building on his great performances since making his England debut just under a year ago. England have now conceded just one goal from open play and kept nine clean sheets in over fifteen and a half hours with Kalvin Phillips on the pitch. On Tuesday night the Yorkshire Pirlo regained possession of the ball eleven times against Germany, the most by an England player in a single game at the tournament and the most in a Euro’s match since Tony Adams against Germany back in 1996. With 60 touches, 45 successful passes and 4 duels won Phillips dominated the midfield yet again. Phillips has also made the most tackles of any England player and covered the most distance by some margin, a staggering 6km more than his nearest rival Harry Kane.
Phillips also becomes the first Leeds United player to win a knockout game at the Euros since the competition started in 1960 and joins Jack Charlton as the only Leeds players to have beaten Germany in a knockout tournament match. With Germany and the Netherlands eliminated from England’s side of the draw, the route to the final has really opened up. England will face Ukraine in their quarter final in Rome with Denmark or Czech Republic their opponents in the semi-finals back at Wembley should they make it through. Could Phillips follow further in Jack Charlton’s footsteps and win a major international tournament winners medal? Here’s hoping so!
