Bukayo Saka scored from the penalty spot in France 3-5 England after Bellingham handed him the ball, and the finish completed a hat-trick at the sharpest point of the match. The kick came in a second half that already felt like it was tilting England’s way.
It mattered because the penalty might have been the winner for England, turning a chaotic scoreline into something that could settle the game. Djed Spence had been taken down by Malo Gusto in the box, and Saka made no mistake when the chance arrived.
That moment also fit a game that kept breaking open around the edges. England had already lost Jarell Quansah to injury, with Reece James coming on, while Trevor Chalobah had replaced Guehi and Gusto later gave way to Jules Kounde. Two England changes also saw Toney and Eberechi Eze replaced by Bellingham and Elliot Anderson, underlining how heavily both sides were having to manage the match as it moved into its final phase.
The broader context is that this was live second-half coverage of France and England, with Olise still without a tournament goal after firing a chance over the bar and Thomas Tuchel’s future hanging over the result. The half was given seven additional minutes, and that left England with no room to waste after Saka’s penalty. If the finish stood as the decisive one, it would be remembered less as a routine spot kick than as the moment the game was taken out of reach.
