Sports Mole will present an analysis of England and Slovenia national football teams’ intense rivalry in this article, reviewing current standings and past meetings between them.
Gareth Southgate’s side were less-than-impressive against Denmark but will look to improve on that performance when they take on Slovenia in Cologne on Friday night.
In this article, we will discuss the main points or high lights of England National Football Team vs Slovenia National Football Team Standings.
Current Standings
England are currently top of Group C and will progress to the knockout phase if they beat Slovenia in their final matchup. Although England are ranked higher than Slovenia on FIFA rankings, they struggled in early tournament games before finding their groove.
First half was an intense defensive affair between both teams as both sides found it hard to break free of their respective halves and create chances. Both England’s Jordan Pickford and Slovenia’s defenders were kept busy, while neither could break through the determined Slovenian defence in the second half.
At the final whistle, England had an opportunity to secure victory through Cole Palmer; however, his shot was weak and easily saved by Jan Oblak. There were large boos from England fans at the final whistle; Gareth Southgate will need to work on improving England’s attacking threat before facing more challenging opposition in Round 3.
While relegated to third in Group C, Slovenia remain in strong contention to reach the knockout stage at Euro 2024. They possess an excellent record against England, having won their last three meetings and drawn their other two. Their only loss came against France on opening day.
As the second round of matches begin, both teams hope to make an impressionful statement about themselves in this competition. Group winners will qualify for the knockout stage while runners-up advance to playoffs.
England defeated Slovenia 1-0 with Raheem Sterling scoring the only goal that secured victory for England back in June 2021. Since then, both teams have struggled to find their form; nonetheless, England remains favored to beat Slovenia in their final match; to achieve this, England must enhance their attacking threat further and add pace while recruiting players who excel at central areas.
Historical Encounters
The England national football team and Slovenia national football team share an enduring rivalry that has brought numerous memorable moments and compelling matches over many years. Both sides have faced each other numerous times both competitively – such as at UEFA tournaments – and in friendlies, which provide both sides with opportunities to test different tactics or assess squad strength.
These teams first came together in a Group Stage match of UEFA Euro 2016, which England won 3-0. Since then, both have met several times for friendly matches – both as preparation for competitive fixtures as well as more casual affairs – with England holding the clear edge in most encounters between them.
Gareth Southgate’s team dominated possession in their Euro 2024 opener against Slovenia but struggled to break through their determined defense, led by goalkeeper Jan Oblak. Southgate introduced Kobbie Mainoo and Cole Palmer for added pace, but neither substitution caused an impactful breakthrough in play.
England had their best opportunity early when Phil Foden found space down the left flank and crossed for Saka to score, only for it to be disallowed due to offside. Kieran Trippier and John Stones provided constant threats down the right flank; however their final ball often fell short and failed to connect with other players when opportunities presented themselves.
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Cole Palmer both had opportunities to put England ahead late on, only for both shots to be tame enough that Oblak could save them easily. If England are to advance beyond group stage play they face another tough test when taking on hosts Germany on Sunday; should they win that match they would finish top of their group, qualifying directly for knockout stages, while any loser would almost certainly face elimination at group stage level, meaning another rematch against Slovenia would ultimately decide both teams’ fates.
Head-to-Head Record
England and Slovenia rank highly in the FIFA world rankings, yet their playing styles differ dramatically. England are known for their attacking approach while Matjaz Kek’s men rely on strong defensive foundations to secure major tournament berths. Both sides boast talented players such as striker Harry Kane and goalkeeper Jordan Pickford; how do their head-to-head records compare though? Sports Mole provides some insight.
England vs Slovenia 2024 Head-to-Head Record
Of their six previous meetings, both teams have won four and tied one match; all five matches since 2015 resulted in goals, with England remaining unbeaten against Slovenia over that span.
Both teams have established robust youth development programs, with some success: each boasting talented young players such as England midfielder Trent Alexander-Arnold and Slovenia forward Zlatko Dedic. Each has made progress recently but continue to struggle in finding consistency when it comes to winning games.
England struggled to create in an ineffective first half, while their visitors held control of proceedings for most of it. At half time, Gareth Southgate made one change by swapping out Conor Gallagher for Kobbie Mainoo; it worked wonders and England were more focused and sharper in the second period.
The Three Lions struggled to get their ball into dangerous areas but managed to maintain possession and earn several corners. England did have one late opportunity when Jordan Henderson was fouled but couldn’t get his shot past an onrushing keeper; Mainoo then played out to Foden who failed to strike an accurate shot from 35 yards – that signalled England had found their footing for the second half.
Future Encounters
The forthcoming meeting between England’s national football team and Slovenia’s will surely be exciting! Both nations aim to improve their status in international football, making this match all the more significant for both sides. Set for June 25th 2024 at RheinEnergieStadion Cologne, tickets may sell out quickly so fans are advised to secure theirs soonest!
This game is of vital importance for both sides, as the victor will likely qualify for the Euro 2024 tournament. These teams have met on multiple occasions before; this meeting provides another chance for each side to improve its record against one another. Likewise, both have made substantial investments into youth development programs which should show on the pitch.
Harry Kane scored one goal late in the match to give England victory against Slovenia and advance them into the knockout stage of competition. The win provided much-needed confidence boost after struggling to find their groove during their initial two group matches.
However, England’s performance against Slovenia was far from impressive and there is real cause for alarm that Gareth Southgate’s side can show marked improvement during the second half of this tournament.
First half was an entertaining but tense affair, with both teams creating opportunities on either side of the pitch, but neither side being able to break through for an early breakthrough. Unfortunately for England this meant they went into halftime tied 0-0 – this means Denmark have the advantage and England may finish behind them, which could have serious repercussions for knockout chances. With this in mind, second half became much livelier as Three Lions created more chances as they pressed for goal with Kobbie Mainoo and Cole Palmer joining in England’s play, although still failing to find that decisive touch!
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