England 1-1 Colombia: England win on Penalties! Yes, Really…

Right then, hands up if you thought you’d never live to see the day? Well you did, and it did really happen. England have finally won a penalty shoot out in a World Cup, for the first time ever, and the first in any competition for 22 years.

We’re into the quarter finals folks!

On the balance of play, you have to say that England deserved to go through. But they do like to do things the hard way.

Normal Time

During the 90 minutes, England dominated possession but struggled to turn it into meaningful chances. Colombia were defending deep and offered little threat themselves on the break. They were perhaps overly aggressive as they sought to unsettle England, and it’s to the players’ and Southgate’s credit that they were able to keep their cool.

It took a penalty to break the deadlock, and despite what Colombia’s players and manager think, it was correctly awarded. Up stepped Harry Kane to settle the nation’s nerves, while showing none himself. Even though most of the Colombia team did their best to put him off, Kane did a superb job of ignoring them.

The only other chance of note was headed over by Dele Alli. That would have settled it, but despite the miss it really looked as though the team would be able to hang on to that lead.

However, as I said earlier, things are never that easy.

In the 93rd minute, Yerry Mina, who had proved himself to be their main threat from corners in previous matches, was able to climb virtually unchallenged and head the equaliser.

Extra Time

Conceding the last gasp goal clearly rattled England, which is understandable. However, the lack of ambition shown in extra time was worrying, especially considering what’s happened in previous years. Surely penalties would be the last thing England would want.

But maybe that was the old England. Maybe Southgate’s new, composed and unflustered England would welcome the pressure instead of crumbling under it.

After 30 fairly uneventful minutes, we were about to find out.

Penalties

Personally, I could barely watch. We have, as the song says, seen it all before. We’d blown our chance and someone was going to miss and become the new national villain.

I had to turn my back on Marcus Rashford’s kick, although the lad made a mockery of my premonition that he’d scuff it. In fact, it was Jordan Henderson whose kick was saved, although it was a brilliant save and not a bad penalty. But surely that would be that.

Well, not this time! Uribe hit the bar (a kick which Pickford might have got to had it been on target) and then Kieran Trippier brought England level.

It then fell to Jordan Pickford to become the hero. Having been criticised (unjustly) after the Belgium game, England’s new Number One responded with a superb save from Bacca’s 5th spot kick. All that was left was for Eric Dier, standing in for the injured Jamie Vardy, to convert England’s final kick and send them through to the quarter finals.

No pressure then.

It certainly didn’t look like it anyway. Dier slotted home, and the celebrations could begin. Not only on the pitch, but across the length and breadth of the country. We’re not used to this. Many fans won’t remember 1996 and will never have seen it happen before. So let’s enjoy the moment, because you never know how long you’ll have to wait for the next one.

Until Saturday at least, we can continue to dream.