“I have no problem playing there and I thought I contributed to the game”.
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Nevertheless, Durica – Skrtel’s central defensive partner – has made the startling accusation that Sunday night’s encounter was rigged while also claiming there is a wider conspiracy to ensure England qualify out of Group F.
Bohunicky said he was speechless, adding: “I can not describe my feelings”.
Lallana’s 95th-minute finish, scuffed through the goalkeeper Matus Kozacik’s legs, was his first goal in his 27th game and broke Slovakia’s resistance after they had lost their captain, Martin Skrtel, to a red card before the hour mark.
“I got this lucky penny off a lad today in the hotel”, he said, rolling the coin between his fingers. If it wins, it wins, if it loses, we get criticised.
Granted, England do not have an N’Golo Kanté to effect major positive change in midfield, but they do have promising youngster Adam Lallana and above-reproach Wayne Rooney and out-tactic-ing master Sam Allardyce, so what could possibly go wrong?
“It’s difficult to break them down, they’re going to try harder and defend longer but finally we got what we deserved with one in the last minute – perhaps their goalie shouldn’t have stayed down injured so long”. That is the message from former England captain David Beckham as he leapt to the defence of embattled skipper Wayne Rooney.
“It was frustrating at times but that’s football”, Rooney said.
Eight of the 11 players picked by Allardyce in Trnava started the shock 2-1 defeat to Iceland in the round of 16 stage in France, a result which cost previous manager Roy Hodgson his job. At this point, he is only disrupted the positioning of his own teammates, Eric Dier and Jordan Henderson. He was brilliant and controlled [the] midfield. He’s won everything at Manchester United, more or less, at Champions League and domestic level.
Allardyce suggested post-match that it was not up to him to dictate where Rooney played and that he had the freedom to operate wherever he felt was necessary to impact upon the game.
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“It’s not for me to say where he’s going to play”.
