In a season of confronting adversity, Jesse Lingard’s persistence was rewarded in spectacular style at the atmospheric Andruv Stadion. He rescued England’s Under-21 dream, and reminded everyone that rewards can be bestowed on those who never give up whatever the bleak looking situation in a game or a career.
Lingard keeps fighting back from set-backs. Twenty-two minutes into the first game of the season on Aug 16, the Manchester United attacker injured his right knee in a challenge with Swansea City’s Ashley Williams and limped away to be replaced by Adnan Januzaj.
Lingard had begun with such high hopes, gaining praise from Louis van Gaal, at last looking like he might break through at United after loan spells at Leicester City, Birmingham City and Brighton & Hove Albion. So this was a huge frustration. But he worked hard, did his rehab, and was sent on loan to Derby County, resuming playing on Valentine’s Day.
Despite some good individual displays for Steve McClaren’s side, Lingard was unable to keep Derby in play-off contention and disappointment reigned. He returned to United with his future uncertain.
Roy Hodgson, the manager of the senior England side, was watching from the stands
“He started the first game of the season for United’s first team and he got a really bad injury,” Gareth Southgate said. “We kept contact with him and made sure he stayed part of the group.”
Lingard set out with the Under-21s to the Czech Republic. He played the first game, the loss to Portugal, and was dropped for Alex Pritchard.
Another setback. The 22-year-old did not mope. He honed his finishing in training over the street from the Andruv Stadion, practice that was to pay huge dividends. He waited patiently on the bench, warming up diligently, before replacing Pritchard, who had damaged his ankle after 55 minutes.
England huffed and puffed for 85 minutes, rarely showing real guile or penetration. But the arrival of Danny Ings had begun to stretch Sweden, Ruben Loftus-Cheek brought some physical command to central midfield and when the ball fell invitingly to the other substitute, Lingard, he conjured up a strike similar to his training regime.
The ball fell invitingly to him, following some poor goalkeeping by Patrik Carlgren but he accepted the half-chance fully, controlling the ball and then burying it past the embarrassed Swedish keeper. The Swedes may be celebrating Midsummer but it was the English celebrating here thanks to Lingard.
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It was far from the most convincing of displays, barring the impact of the substitutes and some excellent forays down the right by Carl Jenkinson.
Nathaniel Chalobah failed to track back on a couple of occasions. The problem with Tom Carroll is that for all his neatness of touch he rarely threatens to hurt opponents. Harry Kane was well-marshalled by Sweden’s centre-halves, Joseph Baffo and Filip Helander, yet was still named man of the match. Jenkinson was, followed by Lingard.
It was a strange old day. The FA decided to drive the 127 yards from their hotel to the Androv Stadion (there is no Uefa protocol). Kane, Lingard and company drove slowly past a group of Czech fans dressed as English Crusaders, although these locals rather undid the image by wearing Sir Alex Ferguson masks.
Olomouc has been celebrating sport this weekend with a half-marathon bringing the town to a standstill on Saturday and the carnival spirit continued into a sunny Sunday here. One match-goer marked the occasion with a technicolour wig and Mr Bean mask. It was all very retro.
The early stages of the match were a throwback to past Anglo-Swedish encounters with long balls and little composure. Carlgren even belted one clearance out of the ground. Jack Butland sliced one ball out for a throw-in.
There was no shortage of passion with John Guidetti, recently released by Manchester City, conducting the talk in the Swedish huddle before kick-off, jabbing one finger towards the English and thumping the crest on his chest.
The Swedish fans sang an irreverent ditty about Kane, and waved a “Harry Who?” banner.
Harry Kane received a warm welcome from Sweden's travelling supporters
At one point it looked like England would need Harry Houdini. He went close with a diving header from Jenkinson’s cross. Pritchard dinked in a ball from the left to Will Hughes, who showed calm and technique to turn and make contact but Helander made a superb interception.
Sweden also had a great chance in an otherwise pedestrian half. From Isaac Kiese Thelin’s knock-down, Guidetti unleashed a shot clutched by Butland, who then held a header from Kiese Thelin.
Ings replaced Hughes at the interval and immediately brought some energy to proceedings. Ings was making a difference, giving England an alternative target to Kane, and he burrowed his way forward at one point, laying the ball off to Nathan Redmond, who promptly lost it.
Kane went close, but was unable to find the back of the Sweden net
After 73 minutes, Southgate made his last throw of the dice, sending on Loftus-Cheek for Carroll, yet it was Sweden who then came close to scoring when Simon Tibbling let fly but Liam Moore did well to block.
England screamed for a penalty after a promising move initially involving Jenkinson, Redmond and Loftus-Cheek before the ball fell to Ings. He collapsed under a challenge from Baffo, leaping to his feet and demanding a penalty from the Spanish referee, Javier Estrada, who waved his appeal away.
With five minutes remaining, however, England broke through. Luke Garbutt curled in a corner and Carlgren panicked, clearing the ball only to Lingard, who was lurking on the edge of the area and revived England’s hopes.
Danny Ings was impressive after he came off the bench to replace Will Hughes
“The lads worked hard today, we knew we needed a win,” Lingard said. “We had the team spirit and heart to win the game and we showed we can grind games out.
“It came straight into my mind to shoot and luckily it went in. The goal killed them and then we saw the game out.”
After the game, Roy Hodgson went into the dressing-room to congratulate Lingard and the rest of Southgate’s players. Southgate was a mixture of relief and delight. “After the game the other night, we had to stop the bleeding a little bit,” the Under-21s manager said of the defeat against Portugal.
“We’d had hammer blows with the two injuries to outstanding players [John Stones and Saido Berahino] then the manner of the goal we conceded and the defeat.
“So we had to do a lot of work making sure all of the noise around us didn’t affect us. We’ve made a step in the right direction, it’s in our hands now. The momentum starts to swing with us a little bit now.”
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