EUROS: Agent Match Report - is football really finally coming home?

So, who would have thought it? England finally beat Germany in a knockout game at a major competition - and it didn't even involve penalties - as the country downed tools to watch the big match.

Today may be the end of the first phase of the stamp duty holiday, but for many agents this will be overshadowed by the glow of England securing their quarter-final place against Ukraine this Saturday in Rome.

Supporters of the Three Lions are getting dangerously close to believing football could finally be coming home, especially with England's sideof the draw opening up nicely on paper.

Here, in our latest agent match report, Stuart Mackay - assistant manager of Kings Group's Edmonton branch - offers his unique, real-time, beer-influenced take on the match.

Take it away, Stuart

So, here we go…last 16 of the European Championships playing Germany at Wembley. We have even got a 5pm kick off so an early finish for most I would imagine (timing could be better with the stamp duty deadline tomorrow, but let us not digress). So off to the pub we go.

We come into the game with the news that world champions and favourites to win the tournament, France, have been knocked out by Switzerland, a colossal performance from the Swiss. On top of that, Croatia and the Netherlands have also been knocked out and, with our half of the draw lacking in the regular footballing superpowers, the game presents a huge opportunity for both sides to progress towards the final.

England so far have been very pragmatic and, following last night’s goal fests, as expected, Southgate has continued with this approach. Germany have been nowhere near their best after an indifferent group stage performance, but their demolition of Portugal shows that they should not be taken lightly.

Naturally, from this point on, a few light ales will have been consumed so my apologies for any apparent lack of coherency.

The first half was a cagey affair. Raheem Sterling stung the palms of Manuel Neuer and Jordan Pickford did well to smother Timo Werner from close range. With the last kick of the half, a loose ball fell to Harry Kane in the box, but Mats Hummels did well to recover before the England striker was able to convert. 

England came out with purpose in the second half and eventually got the breakthrough when a lovely move involving Kane, Grealish and Shaw was finished by Raheem Sterling to give England the lead, sending the home crowd into raptures!

Then came a real ‘heart in mouth moment’ when a misplaced pass ended up with the usually clinical Thomas Müller bearing down on goal. The country expected the net to bulge…only for the ball to roll agonisingly wide of Jordan Pickford’s net!

That seemed to lift England further when a German mistake was punished by another ruthless England break when Jack Grealish fed Harry Kane to tap in the England captain’s first goal of the tournament! 

Roll on Saturday night and a Quarter Final against Ukraine!

IT’S…COMING…HOME!!!!!