Rare goal against Sweden can spur the midfielder to greater heights as England’s World Cup adventure continues
The hour-mark was approaching when Dele Alli’s moment arrived. England had pinned Sweden deep inside their own territory, patiently sizing up when to deliver the critical pass as teammates manoeuvred themselves into position and flustered opponents sensed impending disaster. It was Jesse Lingard who eventually arced over the cross and there, the wrong side of Emil Krafth at the far post, was Alli to connect sweetly with his header.
The midfielder flashed a glance towards the assistant referee for reassurance that there would be no flap of a flag, before out came all those dance routines and intricate handshakes that had been in storage at this level since October 2016. Not since Gareth Southgate’s first game in charge, back in the days when the waistcoat was worn by an interim coach, and a distinctly forgettable qualifying victory against Malta, had Alli registered for his country. Now, after 13 scoreless outings and the occasional pang of doubt, not least in the buildup to this quarter-final, there was reward to cherish.
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