England coach Roy Hodgson will be strongly tempted to start with Jamie Vardy and Daniel Sturridge in attack against Slovakia Monday after both came off the bench to score in the 2-1 win over Wales. Former England striker Alan Shearer, now a TV pundit, has led calls for the pair to replace Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling, neither of whom made much impression in the opening 1-1 draw with Russia nor in the first half against Wales. Kane, the Premier League's top scorer, had barely touched the ball in the opponents' penalty area in either game. Yet it took Vardy just 11 minutes to nab the goal that put England back on level terms, while Sturridge found a way through a crowded penalty area to snatch the winner in stoppage time. A win against Slovakia would seal victory in Group B and see England paired with one of the third-placed teams in the round of 16, giving it an excellent chance of advancing further. A draw or loss could make things significantly harder, depending on how Wales fares against Russia. England enjoyed the bulk of the possession in each of their first two games and Hodgson has deployed all his strikers, including teenager Marcus Rashford in the second half against Wales. But they have looked less than impregnable in defense, conceding a late equalizer against Russia and a long-range Gareth Bale free kick that outfoxed keeper Joe Hart in the game against Wales. Its biggest threat is likely to come from Slovakia's attacking midfielder Marek Hamsik, who laid on one goal for Vladimir Weiss and scored the other with a curling shot in his team's 2-1 win against Russia. For Slovakia, playing in their first European Championship finals, the stakes in this match are high. "This is what we wanted, what we came for, to prove something big and that we can be measured next to a team like England," midfielder Dusan Svento said. Wales could hit heights or depths The thousands of Welsh supporters who have brought their nation's famed singing, not to mention plenty of plastic dragons, to a major tournament after a wait of more half a century are steeling themselves to hit the heights — or rock bottom — Monday. Currently in second place in Euro 2016 group B with three points, Wales could finish either top or bottom of its section, depending on its own result against Russia here and England's against Slovakia. If it beats the Russians, who have only one point, and neighbor England fails to win, Chris Coleman's side would be proud group winners, qualifying for a round of 16 match in the Parc des Princes next Saturday against a third-placed team. At the other extreme, defeat, and at least a point for Slovakia, would leave them fourth. A modicum of pride would undoubtedly remain, but such an outcome would be a real anti-climax after the excitement of beating the Slovaks 2-1 in the opening game and then holding England until the final minute in a 2-1 defeat. Russia's 2-1 defeat by Slovakia undid all the good work of its resilience in snatching a late equalizer against England and leaves it vulnerable to an early return home and charges of under-achievement. In historic and geo-political terms there should be no contest between a nation of 144 million people and one with a population of three million — larger than only Albania, Northern Ireland and Iceland of the 24 countries here. Russia has never lost to Wales in its four meetings, but the margins have been tight, like so many matches at this low-scoring tournament. Coach Leonid Slutski knows his team must avoid conceding free kicks within shooting range for Gareth Bale, a mistake that both Slovakia and England were punished for making. The Real Madrid player scored with direct long range efforts, bringing back memories of Michel Platini's ability with a dead ball when France last hosted the European Championship in 1984. Coleman knows he can count on his one superstar. He will be more concerned about a defense that conceded only four goals in the qualifying campaign but has been beaten almost as many times in two games here. Changing from his system of three at the back is a possibility, but perhaps too radical a departure at this late and crucial stage. — Agencies
