ENGLAND BESTS CZECHS TO FINISH ATOP ITS TABLE

Sterling's goal ensures side will play host to runner-up from formidable Group F

England did enough to win its group and move on to the next round of Euro 2020.

Whether it can still be considered a contender to end a championship drought dating back to 1966, however, remains to be seen.

A 1-0 win against the Czech Republic in front of 19,104 at Wembley Stadium in London on Tuesday gave England seven points from its three Group D games, and will keep the team at home for the Round of 16 clash against the second-place team in Group F, featuring France, Portugal, Germany and Hungary.

Raheem Sterling scored his second goal of the tournament to give England the win and goalkeeper Jordan Pickford posted his third consecutive shutout.

“The most important thing; our objective going into this tournament was to win the group,” Sterling said after the game. “Things are going to be difficult at times, and we just have to keep doing what we're doing, which is being solid and then trying to take our chances when we can in the final third.”

Sterling scored in the 12th minute, heading in a cross from Jack Grealish at the far post past Czech goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik. It was all England would need as their midfield play stifled the Czechs, who generated just a handful of chances, and only one that really troubled Pickford. Tomas Holes took a long-distance shot midway through the first half, which appeared to be bending inside the post until Pickford dove to his right and palmed the ball away.

“We said to the players that this was a game with a bit less pressure because we had already qualified, but there was still something we wanted to achieve,” said England coach Gareth Southgate.

The government of England announced 40,000 fans would be allowed for the next game at Wembley under COVID-19 guidelines, which will be increased to 60,000 for the semifinals and final.

Grealish got his first start of the tournament in place of Phil Foden, who was left out of the team altogether, carrying a yellow card. A second yellow would have Foden suspended for the next match.

Midfielder Mason Mount and defender Ben Chilwell were also not available to England, having to go into quarantine until June 28, after coming into close contact with Scotland midfielder Billy Gilmour, who tested positive for COVID-19. The three Chelsea teammates were shown hugging each other following the scoreless tie between England and Scotland on Friday.

Defender Harry Maguire got his first start, returning from an ankle injury sustained in May playing for Manchester United. Midfielder Bukayo Saka, 19, also made his first start and earned star of the match honours for his work at both ends of the field.

“It was a really good team performance,” Saka said. “Of course, at times we had to defend and it'll be like that in every game, but once again, we defended really well. We got a clean sheet in all three games and that's a real positive.”

Sterling nearly scored two minutes into the game, getting to a bouncing through ball ahead of goalie Vaclik and chipping it over him only to have it hit the post.

Harry Kane came close to increasing the lead in the 26th minute, taking a through ball from Maguire, cutting inside his defender and getting a good shot off from eight yards out, but Vaclik was able to stop it.

“We had a very strong opponent today,” said Czech coach Jaroslav Silhavy. “But our finishing wasn't really great today and England was strong in that aspect. I don't think our performance was that bad, but we played against a good team in England. We managed to get into the knockout round and I think we are capable of surprising and managing of going even further.”

England has not gone without conceding a goal in the group stage at a major tournament since winning its only World Cup in 1966 at home.

They will have a tough test in the next round, however, likely facing either Portugal, Germany or France on June 29 in London.

“That's tournament football, at some point you're going to have to face the best teams,” Sterling said.

“That's the whole point of being here in the tournament is to challenge yourselves.”