EURO 2020: England crush hapless Bulgaria

UEFA EURO 2020 Qualifiers on Monday saw England dismantling Bulgaria in Group A, sending six unanswered goals past them in a racially-charged affair in Sofia.

Read: EURO 2020 – Matchday 8, October 13

Bulgaria vs England (0–6)

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Racist abuse marred England’s Euro 2020 qualifier with Bulgaria in Sofia as the game teetered on possible abandonment (Image: Sourced).

First half

The deadlock was broken in only the 7th minute, when England’s Marcus Rashford released a right-footed shot from the left side of the box and into the high centre of goal. Ivelin Popov tried to pull one back for Bulgaria from outside the box, but it was The Three Lions who would have the second laugh in the 20th minute.

This time, Ross Barkley released off his left foot and into the centre of goal to beat Plamen Iliev. Twelve minutes later, and Barkley’s second was England’s third as his header from the centre of the box found the back of the net after a Harry Kane cross in the 32nd minute. This became four as Rahim Sterling helped himself from close range in first-half added time.

England thrashed Bulgaria 6-nil in a one-sided affair which sparked racial tensions in Sofia on Monday night (Image: Sourced).

Second half

With England’s 4–goal cushion comfortably ushering them into the second half, the Bulgarians tried in earnest to pull a goal back, courtesy of a Bozhidar Kraev left-footed attempt from outside the box, which was high and wide to the left.

The first goal of the second half and the fifth of the match came in the 69th period, once again going the way of England; as Sterling nudged into the bottom left of the net from a through ball pass from Kane.

The Three Lions wrapped things up in the 85th minute as Kane turned from provider to scorer. His left-footed strike from the left side of the box fired past the goal and rattled the bottom left corner of the net. The result won England their fifth from the six games played so far to lead second-placed Czech Republic by three points.

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Monkey chants were heard on Monday evening when England’s black players were in possession against Bulgaria (Image: AFP).

Bulgaria line-up: Iliev, Pashov, Terziev, Sarmov, Hadzhiev, Zanev, Despodov, Popov, Kostadinov, Cristaldo Farias, Isa Mustafa. Substitutes:Ivanov, Lozev, Dimitrov, Slavchev, Kraev, Mihaylov, Nedyalkov, Malinov, Nascimento da Costa, Ivanov, Goranov, Karagaren.

England line-up: Pickford, Trippier, Maguire, Mings, Chilwell, Henderson, Winks, Barkley, Sterling, Kane, Rashford. Substitutes: Alexander-Arnold, Pope, Keane, Gomez, Rice, Sancho, Tomori, Abraham, Mount, C. Wilson, Henderson.