England topped Group C with a scrappy 0-0 draw against Slovenia in Cologne.
A sloppy contest saw England and Slovenia struggle to create many decent chances but the Three Lions’ Bukayo Saka saw a 20th minute goal disallowed, due to Phil Foden having been offside.
England nevertheless topped the group after Denmark drew 0-0 with Serbia which left the Danes sat second, whilst Slovenia finished third and need results to go their way if want to reach the knockout stages as one of four best third-placed teams.
Speaking to ITV post-match, England captain Harry Kane was pleased to have topped the group to secure a spot in the bottom half of the knockout stages.
“That was the aim before the start of the tournament. Come top of the group and control our destiny. I thought we played a lot better than the other games. We couldn’t just find that finish but we look forward to the next one.
“We created some half chances and there were some that we could maybe have done better.”
Aware that victory would see them win the group and put themselves into the easier half of the knockout stages, England failed to mount much improvement upon their sloppy performance against Denmark as Slovenia dominated the opening minutes.
Jordan Pickford saved Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions from an even worse start with a fifth minute save of Benjamin Sesko’s header which looked destined for the top-left corner to put Slovenia in front.
England soon found life and almost took a 20th minute lead after neat play up the left ended with Declan Rice playing Foden in to tee up Saka, who duly turned in from close-range but the goal was disallowed because Foden had been offside.
England continued to press but lacked much intensity nor cutting edge during which Jan Oblak saved Foden’s 35th minute free-kick.
Slovenia though posed a huge threat on the counter-attack but lacked much end product to cause enough issues in a goalless first half, which left them sat third and England top because Denmark were still second and also goalless against Serbia at half-time.
Southgate opted to make a half-time tweak as Conor Gallagher – who had replaced Trent Alexander-Arnold in the starting line-up – was replaced by Kobbie Mainoo.
That change failed to spark much life into England despite dominating possession as Foden and Kyle Walker put shots wide early in the second half.
Slovenia found themselves defending for much of the second half but their best chance fell to Adam Gnezda Cerin, yet he could only rifle wide from the edge of the box.
England eventually increased their intensity in the final 15 minutes plus injury-time but Slovenia dug deep to cling on a point, with Oblak having saved a low shot from substitute, Cole Palmer.
Denmark meanwhile drew 0-0 against Serbia which meant that England progressed as Group C winners, and will play their Round of 16 tie on 30 June at 6pm CEST (5pm UK Time) against a third-placed team.
The Danes meanwhile finished second and will face tournament hosts, Germany in their Round of 16 tie on 29 June at 9pm CEST (8pm UK Time) in Dortmund.
Slovenia finished third and now needs Czech Republic and Georgia to lose their final Group F matches in order to advance, but their draw meant that Croatia were eliminated from the tournament.
Austria stun Group D
Marcel Sabitzer struck a 80th minute winner to seal top spot in Group D for Austria in a 3-2 win over the Netherlands, having initially led twice through Donyell Malen’s sixth minute own-goal and Romano Schmid’s header despite equalisers from Cody Gakpo and Memphis Depay.
France consequently progressed as Group D runners-up after they drew 1-1 against eliminated Poland, in which Kylian Mbappe put them in front from the penalty spot only for Robert Lewandowski to equalise for Poland from the spot too.
Netherlands though are through as one of four best third-placed finishers and will discover their Round of 16 opposition once the Group Stage is completed.
Teams
England – Jordan Pickford, Kyle Walker, John Stones, Marc Guehi, Kieran Trippier (Alexander-Arnold 84′), Declan Rice, Conor Gallagher (Mainoo 46′), Bukayo Saka (Palmer 71′), Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden (Gordon 89′), Harry Kane
Substitutes: Luke Shaw, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Aaron Ramsdale, Ezri Konsa, Lewis Dunk, Ivan Toney, Anthony Gordon, Ollie Watkins, Jarrod Bowen, Eberechi Eze, Joe Gomez, Dean Henderson, Cole Palmer, Adam Wharton, Kobbie Mainoo
Slovenia – Jan Oblak, Erik Janza (Balkovec 90+1′), Jaka Bijol, Vanja Drkusic, Zan Karnicnik, Jan Mlakar (Gorenc Stankovic 86′), Timi Max Elsnik, Adam Gnezda Cerin, Petar Stojanovic, Benjamin Sesko (Ilicic 75′), Andraz Sporar (Celar 86′)
Substitutes: Jure Balkovec, Vid Belec, Miha Blazic, David Brekalo, Zan Celar, Jon Gorenc Stankovic, Tomi Hovat, Josip Ilicic, Jasmin Kurtic, Sandi Lovric, Igor Vekic, Benjamin Verbic, Zan Vipotnik, Adrian Zeljkovic, Nino Zugelj
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