There will still be questions about England coach Gareth Southgate’s team selection and persistence with Kane when he managed only one touch in the opposition penalty area in the first half. And it was a bad one,taking a ball too far past Manuel Neuer while trying to go around the goalkeeper.

But while Sterling’s goals are spearheading England’s progress at this largely home tournament,the saves of Jordan Pickford are proving vital,too,including using one hand to push over Kai Havertz’s shot at the start of the second half.

“We had to be brave on and off the ball,” England defender Harry Maguire said. “It was really important.”

The clamour to introduce Grealish was growing in the second half. It’s what got fans chanting inside Wembley,with a crowd of about 40,000 the biggest in Britain since the pandemic began in March 2020.

The winger finally entered with about 20 minutes to go and played a role in the opening goal.

Sterling first took on the defenders,going past Antonio Rüdiger before passing to Kane,whose lay-off to Grealish then went to Luke Shaw. And it was the left back’s cross that Sterling connected with,shooting past Neuer with his right boot.

For all the experience in Germany’s side compared to the youth of England,it was World Cup winner Thomas Müller who squandered a chance to equalise in the 81st minute. Clean through with only Pickford to beat,Müller put the ball wide to leave him still without a goal at his three European Championships.

England are yet to concede in four games at Euro 2020.

“It’s a moment none of us will ever forget,” said Kane,who scored his 35th international goal. “The perfect afternoon.”

In Glasgow,Ukraine squeezed past 10-man Sweden 2-1 at Hampden Park to claim the last available berth in the quarter-finals.

The two sides were level at 1-1 after 90 minutes but the tide of the last-16 game changed when Sweden had defender Marcus Danielson sent off for a studs-up,high challenge nine minutes into extra time.

Oleksandr Zinchenko’s left-footed half-volley after 27 minutes gave Ukraine the lead but Emil Forsberg equalised when he hit home a deflected effort from the edge of the penalty area two minutes before half-time.

AP

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