Joe Hart is breathing a massive sigh of relief in the second half of England-Wales at Euro 2016 thanks to Jamie Vardy and Daniel Sturridge. In the closing minutes of the first half, Hart gave up an ugly goal to Gareth Bale on a free kick from some 40 yards out. It was a fine free kick, but it's a save Hart should clearly have made. Instead, he got his hands on it, but allowed it trickle through and slip inside the post.About ten minutes into the second half, however, Jamie Vardy found himself in the right spot at the right time and he did not miss. Daniel Sturridge looped in a lazy floater of a cross and Wales captain Ashley Williams actually got his head on it but it went right to Vardy standing alone in front of goal and he swung around his right leg and pounded it into the ground and in for the equalizer.
Wales wanted an offside call on Vardy, but since the ball went off Williams first, Vardy was onside and the referees rightly let the play continue.Then in the 91st minute, Daniel Sturridge put England over the top and ripped out Welsh hearts everywhere. It was not unlike the Vardy goal in that it developed almost out of nowhere, but eventually Sturridge was racing to goal, running over Welsh defenders and tucking in a fairly historic game winner. This was the first time ever in a major tournament England have come back to win a match when they trailed at halftime. Coming into the match, they were 0-9-2 in such situations.
[ESPN]
Advertisement