Hello everyone and welcome to this live blog for the final matches of Group D at Euro 2020, with Croatia vs Scotland and Czech Republic vs England which are set to kick off at 21:00 CEST. England and Czech Republic are already through with four points, but the Three Lions will need a win to secure first spot. Meanwhile, Croatia and Scotland absolutely have to win if they want to go through.
Live score: Croatia 3-1 Scotland | Czech Republic 0-1 England
This is the start of our live blog for the third and final matches of Group D. We’ll have the most recent entries nearest the top, with minute-by-minute updates once the games kicks off.
CZE-ENG: Minute 90+1: Kral tries his luck
Czech Republic haven’t managed to create much in the second half, so Kral decided to have a go from all of 35 yards. But the shot goes well over the bar.
CZE-ENG: Minute 86: Henderson scores… but it’s offside
The ball fell kindly to Jordan Henderson in the area, who managed to bundle the ball home via deflection, but the Liverpool captain was offside.
CRO-SCO: Minute 77: Perisic puts Croatia further ahead
A Modric corner is attacked at the near post by Perisic, and his glancing header finds the bottom corner. 3-1 Croatia
CRO-SCO: Minute 74: Fraser has a go from range
Eager to make something happen after coming on, Fraser has a go from 30 yards but the ball keeps on rising over the bar.
CRO-SCO: Minute 70: Fraser on for Armstrong
Stuart Armstrong has been quiet for Scotland tonight, and he’s replaced by another winger in Ryan Fraser. Steve Clarke will be hoping that he can use his pace to cause problems for Croatia.
CZE-ENG: Minute 66: Sterling taken off
Marcus Rashford and Jude Bellingham come on for England, with Raheem Sterling and Jack Grealish taken off.
CRO-SCO: Minute 64: Modric with a beauty!
The ball is laid off to Luka Modric on the edge of the box and the Real Madrid midfielder superbly guides the ball into the net with the outside of his foot. It’s a magical strike, which puts Croatia 2-1 up and, on four points momentarily, would qualify.
CZE-ENG: Minute 60: Pickford with an important punch
Coufal swings in a good ball, but Pickford shows good anticipation to come out and punch clear.
CRO-SCO: Minute 57: Another save from Marshall
Perisic is in the clear and strikes towards goal, but Marshall spreads himself well and denies the Croatian. The flag was eventually raised but it was a tight one.
CRO-SCO: Minute 50: Marshall bravely denies Gvardiol
Gvardiol is played through on goal but a combination of a heavy touch and a brave spread by Marshall in goal is enough to deny the full-back.
Second half underway
A big 45 minutes await at Wembley and Hampden, with both games finely poised.
HALF TIME
England are 1-0 up thanks to Raheem Sterling’s early header, after having hit the post with a lob in the opening minutes. It’s a far better display from the Three Lions than the one seen against Scotland.
Croatia took the lead against Scotland through Nikola Vlasic, but McGregor’s strike three minutes before half-time leaves the must-win encounter for both sides finely poised.
CRO-SCO: Minute 42: McGregor levels for Scotland!
A cross from Robertson is cleared, but it falls to McGregor who hits a sweet strike into the bottom corner. All square now. 1-1
CRO-SCO: Minute 40: Perisic strike goes wide
In his trademark move, Perisic cuts onto his right foot from the left hand side and has an effort on goal, but it ends up going well wide.
CZE-ENG: Minute 35: Soucek goes close!
Shaw makes a brave clearance which falls to Soucek, but the West Ham man pulls the shot inches wide.
CZE-ENG: Minute 27: Stunning save by Pickford
Holes tries his luck from distance and, if not for a stunning save from Pickford, it was headed for the top corner.
CZE-ENG: Minute 25: Kane’s first shot on target
Harry Kane has his first shot on target at this summer’s European Championship, cutting inside and then directing the ball towards the far corner, but it’s well saved by former Sevilla goalkeeper Vaclik.
CRO-SCO: Minute 16: Vlasic puts Croatia ahead
A cross to the back post is knocked down to Nikola Vlasic, who slots the ball into the corner with his left foot. 1-0 Croatia
CZE-ENG: Minute 12: Sterling heads home!
Jack Grealish, in for his first start today, dinks a lovely ball to the back post and Sterling is on the end of it with an easy header. 1-0 England
CRO-SCO: Minute 10: Adams from distance
Eager to make up for the chance he missed earlier, Adams unleashes a strike from distance which goes inches wide. It took a deflection, but a goal kick was given.
CRO-SCO: Minute 6: Adams a toe away
Scotland come mightily close to scoring, after McGinn’s cross from the left beats the defenders, but Che Adams can’t get a toe to it to divert it into the net.
CZE-ENG: Minute 2: Sterling hits the post!
Almost a perfect start for England, as Luke Shaw’s ball over the top finds Sterling, who lobs the goalkeeper but is prevented by the post.
KICK OFF
Both Group D games are now underway, with the final spots far from settled. England need a win if they want to finish first, while Scotland need three points to reach the knockout phase.
20:00 CEST: Croatia’s starting line-up confirmed
Croatia make four changes to the line-up that drew with the Czech Republic. Atletico Madrid’s Sime Vrsaljko is replaced by Josip Juranovic while Nikola Vlasic and Bruno Petkovic are handed their first starts of Euro 2020.
Croatia’s starting line-up: Livakovic, Juranovic, Lovren, Vida, Gvardiol, Modric, Brozovic, Kovacic, Vlasic, Perisic, Petkovic.
19:55 CEST: Scotland’s starting line-up confirmed
The big loss for Scotland is of course Billy Gilmour, who tested positive for COVID-19 after the England encounter, which rules him out of the crunch game. The Chelsea youngster is replaced by Southampton’s Stuart Armstrong.
Scotland starting line-up: Marshall, O’Donnell, Hanley, Tierney; Armstrong, McTominay, McGregor, McGinn, Robertson, Dykes, Adams.
19:50 CEST: Czech Republic’s starting line-up confirmed
The big news for the Czech Republic is that star striker Patrik Schick is fit to start after picking up a knock in their last encounter against Croatia. England fans will also be wary of Tomas Soucek, who is a well-known threat from his displays for West Ham last season.
Czech Republic’s starting XI: Vaclik, Coufal, Celustika, Kalas, Boril, Soucek, Holes, Masopust, Darida, Jankto, Schick.
19:42 CEST: England’s starting line-up confirmed
Ben Chilwell and Mason Mount miss the game after being deemed ‘close contacts’ of Scotland midfielder Billy Gilmour after the two sides met last week, despite another 12 England players sharing the field with the Chelsea youngster.
While Chilwell hadn’t played in the first two matches, Mount did, and is replaced by Jack Grealish in the centre of midfield.
There are a total of four changes to the England side from the draw with Scotland. Harry Maguire, Kyle Walker, Bukayo Saka and Jack Grealish come in for Reece James, Tyrone Mings, Mason Mount and Phil Foden.
England’s starting XI: Pickford, Walker, Stones, Maguire, Shaw, Rice, Phillips, Grealish, Sterling, Saka, Kane.
