England kept on mounting that pressure and when those seconds were ticking away, it looked as if the best they could do was Vardy's equalizer. But they never gave up and the substitution magic from Hodgson came to all its glory when Alli assisted Sturridge for a good hustle to beat Hennessy on the near post.
The worst thing for England would have been yet another good performance but not getting the win they deserved. They deserved to win both games, but that's not how football works at this level. You have to get it done because all people remember at the end of the day is who won, not who deserved to win. The result is all that matters and the Ridge was there to provide that.
From the moment he came on with Vardy, England totally swarmed Wales and locked them with two keys in their half. Whenever Sturridge got the ball, he always looked to take the initiative and be positive with it.
He's got a great footballing brain and isn't the kind of player who just runs with his head down and shoots without thinking. There is always thought in what he does, and he plays with his head up and assesses the situation on the pitch before deciding on what to do with his very gifed left foot.
He had two shots that went way over the bar when he put it on his left, but that shouldn't be something to berate him for. It means that he has the right idea and he's trying to win the game for England. You don't win games by being tepid, always passing the ball and not adding risk to your repertoire. Sometimes, it's he who is bravest that ends up on top of the mountain.
His deserved goal came, after it was his cross that lead to the equalizer, when he forced the issue by running deep into the box, getting it from Alli, and having the composure to poke it into the corner once the time was right. It's what great stikers do. They never give up and will always sweat blood to get that G until the whistle caresses the lips of the man in black.
Sturridge has to start now against Slovakia and maybe for the rest of the tournament as long as he's fit, and with him on the pitch adding the quality just outside the penalty box, you will see the clinical improvement in England's attack. They have looked good so far, but Sterling lacks the footballing class that Sturridge has. Hence why they haven't scored more goals in the two games they've had.
Hopefully, Sturridge changes that for England. HH
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