"Right now, England aren't just behind on the scoreboard. They're behind in intensity too. It doesn't look like anyone on this England team can step up and slow Spain's momentum."
"Henderson used to be very good at firing up his teammates at Liverpool, but over the past few years, as Leo gradually became Liverpool's on-field captain, Henderson's ability to rally everyone seems to have faded a little."
Southgate stood on the touchline deep in thought.
Whenever he was thinking hard, his lips tightened into a thin line, as though he were desperately trying to find some solution to England's predicament, or at the very least, give them even the slightest hope of still winning the European Championship.
It was difficult to win without hope.
You couldn't go into something believing there was no chance at all, because then you were bound to fail.
Southgate eventually decided to send Rice forward as well, leaving Henderson alone in defensive midfield.
Only then could England stop Rodri from constantly moving into central midfield to support Leo.
Southgate had finally figured it out.
Rice would push forward aggressively. Saka would take defenders on. Bellingham would make runs into advanced areas.
England's tactics were becoming completely proactive, and Scholes felt their chance was finally coming.
62nd minute!
"England are attacking now! Rice carries the ball forward from midfield."
"Into Saka, Bellingham comes across to support. A quick one-two!"
"Back to Saka. Now he cuts inside!"
"Played into the box again. Kane is in the middle!"
"Another one-two! Saka is getting better and better as this match goes on!"
Kane returned the ball to Saka, who immediately swung his leg and shot.
This one was dangerous.
De Gea couldn't even read which direction Saka intended to shoot because where Saka was looking and where he actually struck the ball were completely different.
De Gea initially dived to his left, but he had deliberately kept control of his lower body rather than committing everything to the dive.
When he realized Saka's shot was actually heading more toward the right, De Gea lifted both legs and somehow blocked it.
Kane immediately attacked the rebound.
Laporte and Pau Torres both crouched at the same time, hands behind their backs, closing the gap between them to form a wall in front of Kane.
Together, they blocked the follow-up.
Thiago immediately cleared the ball.
He sent it out for a throw-in in the panic, but it went out inside England's half, so Spain had successfully survived the danger.
The replay showed De Gea suddenly snapping his legs together in midair.
It wasn't remotely close to a conventional goalkeeper's save.
But De Gea had always liked using unconventional movements to stop perfectly normal shots.
That was part of what made him extraordinary.
"You can say England haven't created much, but honestly, if it weren't for De Gea, this match could be 2-2 right now!"
Scholes could only admit that De Gea was too good.
"But I think Southgate has finally figured it out. England needed to take the initiative and change something."
"Send Rice forward, get support from both flanks, and with the quality England have in this squad, there's no reason they should be getting outplayed this badly by Spain!"
Luke Shaw and Trippier hadn't joined the attack for quite some time because Southgate had initially wanted both of them to prioritize defending.
But once Rice began pushing forward, Luke Shaw started getting involved as well.
His attacking style was different from Trippier's.
Shaw was more comfortable using his own ability to beat defenders, reaching the byline, then creating chances with low crosses.
66th minute!
"Thiago has the ball in midfield. Rodri can't move into central midfield as freely anymore because Rice keeps pushing forward and forcing him back!"
"Thiago is carrying it against Henderson now. He gives it to Leo."
"Saka and Trippier close him down together!"
Leo didn't use the inside of his foot.
He didn't use the outside either.
Instead, he angled the tip of his right boot against the ball and gave it a sharp little tap backward.
That single touch took the ball past Saka's outstretched right leg.
Trippier immediately rushed at Leo.
Leo lightly tapped the ball again with the toe of his right foot, this time knocking it back in front of himself.
Two touches.
Leo hadn't even moved his left foot.
He had barely moved from the spot at all.
He simply tapped the ball twice with his right foot and beat both Saka and Trippier.
The Spanish supporters nearby had the perfect view of Leo's dribbling and immediately applauded.
Leo then knocked the ball behind himself, turned, and finally faced England's goal.
One second was all he needed to assess the situation.
Morata was battling Stones.
Sarabia had already moved tight to Walker.
And Olmo, who should have been on the right, was now on the left as well, combining with Sarabia to occupy Walker.
Hierro's second-half attacking plan was beginning to reveal itself.
Leo's long pass was as precise as a bird landing perfectly on a narrow branch.
This time, the ball dropped right toward Sarabia's thick lower leg before meeting the top of his foot.
Walker wanted to step toward Sarabia, but Olmo's movement caught his attention.
Walker had no choice but to back off.
That only gave Sarabia more space.
Sarabia nudged the ball to his right and looked toward the far post.
There shouldn't have been anyone there.
Olmo, the player who normally would have occupied that area, was currently busy dragging Walker away.
Yet Sarabia still sent the ball toward the far post.
There was no one there.
Except Maguire.
But Sarabia's pass had been played far ahead of its apparent target.
The lead on it was enormous, so much so that most fans watching from the broadcast angle probably couldn't even see who it was meant for.
Sarabia knew there was one player who would.
Leo.
Leo was at least twenty meters away from where Sarabia's pass was going to drop.
And between him and the ball stood Saka, Trippier, and Maguire.
Three players.
Leo sprinted anyway.
He left Trippier behind first.
Then he raced Saka.
The young Saka quickly realized that he simply couldn't keep up with Leo.
But Maguire was still ahead.
Sarabia's pass was already beginning to drop.
It was almost at its destination.
Maguire was waiting underneath it.
Give him two seconds and he would clear it.
One second later, Leo had already left Saka behind and sprinted all the way across from the right to reach Maguire.
Then he launched himself into the air.
Leo was a midfielder, yet in the aerial duel he somehow overpowered Maguire, one of England's strongest defenders in the air, and forced him aside.
Leo kept his eyes fixed on Sarabia's delivery.
Then he headed the ball across goal.
Stones hadn't noticed.
Walker, still occupied by Olmo, hadn't noticed either.
Morata was completely unmarked!
...
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