DARE WE DREAM?
Sterling effort as England win
ENGLAND’S football team gave the nation something to finally cheer about yesterday, with an opening Euro 2020 win boosting moods, pubs and stores.
It was the roar the nation had been longing to hear as the Three Lions beat Croatia 1-0 in their first match of the delayed tournament.
With Wales beginning on Saturday and Scotland kicking-off their campaign today, some £400million is expected to be pumped into the UK economy during the first four days of the Euros alone.
Around 22,000 fans were at Wembley to see Gareth Southgate’s men see off 2018 World Cup finalists Croatia.
In baking conditions, a goal from Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling in the 57th minute was enough to clinch victory.
England now face Scotland on
Friday night in a crunch match that will have the nation gripped. After the game, Southgate said: “It was lovely to have given our fans and our country a lovely afternoon.”
Yesterday’s win prompted jubilant scenes at the stadium – and across the country.
Struggling pubs all over the nation were given a massive shot in the arm as fans piled into boozers to watch the action.
An estimated 10 million pints were poured during the match alone.
Supermarkets also reported huge sales in the run-up to England’s game yesterday. Aldi threw open the doors to all its stores half an hour early to cope with the rush ahead of theWembley encounter.
Asda said around 16 million sausages, eight million steaks and 500,000 chicken wings would fly off shelves during the month-long soccer tournament.
Sainsbury’s said beer sales were up 14 per cent week on week in the run-up to England’s opener, with sales of snacks also soaring by 30 per cent.
Co-op said around 220,000 pizzas were snapped up, with a 1,200 per cent increase in demand for ice cubes, and sales of wine doubling week on week.
Waitrose also said sales of burgers and kebabs had rocketed by 27 per cent and 44 per cent respectively.
However, more than five million Britons were estimated to have gone to the pub to watch the game.
Fans were also treated to special screenings at centres across the country – with social distancing still the order of the day.
Under current Covid rules, pubs and other venues were able to operate table service only with customers expected to maintain social distancing and remain at least one metre away from each other.
Groups of six were allowed to book tables, but drinking at the bar was not allowed. Some were happy to shell out large sums to watch in style. Fans at The Players Lounge, in Billericay, Essex, paid up to £120 for a seat in the VIP area, costing a group of six more than £700 to watch the game.
In London, hundreds of key workers watched at a special fanzone in Trafalgar Square. Rows of benches were set up inside the square, with two large screens either side of Nelson’s Column. Mayor of London Sadiq Khan praised the “heroic” workers and said the excitement of the Euros was needed after “the darkness and trauma” of the pandemic. He
said: “We’ve invited our amazing key workers to thank them for all they’ve done for our city.”
Fans lucky enough to attend the game at Wembley had been urged by the Football Association not to boo the players when they took the knee – an anti-racism gesture adopted before games. While there were some boos, they were more muted than at recent friendlies and drowned out by cheering fans.
Just ahead of the game, an FA spokesman said: “Major tournaments don’t come around often and when they do, it’s an opportunity to unite friends, families and the country. This collective support is what spurs our team on during challenging moments and it gives them the best chance of succeeding.
“Gareth and the team have confirmed they will collectively take the knee ahead of their fixtures.
“They are doing this as a mechanism of peacefully protesting against discrimination, injustice and inequality.”
Meanwhile, a fan was seriously injured after falling from a stand at Wembley.Witnesses saw the spectator fall at around 2pm, when the game kicked off. He had plunged towards seats and concrete below, according to reports.
One England spectator said: “We saw his legs go over the barrier and then he fell and hit the ground and didn’t move. One guy near us who saw the whole thing was crying his eyes out.”
A Wembley spokesman said: “The spectator was given onsite medical attention and was then taken to hospital in a serious condition.”
It is understood that plans are under way to fully investigate the incident.