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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Stephen Killen

Inside the beer-soaked England celebrations as fans in Liverpool banish lockdown frustrations

Shirts off, heads in hands and never-ending choruses of its coming home after Danny Makkelie blew the full-time whistle.

Draped in flags, covered in alcoholic fluids, belief in football coming home went one step closer to be a reality.

England reached their first major final in 55 years thanks to an extra-time goal from Harry Kane which took them into the final of Euro 2020.

Many of those in the managerial hot seat at Wembley who had tried before had failed. John Barnes, Gary Lineker, Paul Gascoigne, David Beckham had all failed to replicate the feat achieved by Kane, Raheem Sterling and Jordan Pickford.

There was an expectation pre-match whilst they shared reservations after the demoralising 2-1 defeat to Croatia at the World Cup.

It almost felt like deja vu when they saw Mikkel Damsgaard wheel away in celebration

The 21-year-old momentarily spoiled the party with his superb free-kick before Simon Kjaer own goal restored parity.

Fans had to wait 65 minutes for the Three Lions to take the lead when Kane knocked in the rebound after Kasper Schmeichel saves his initial spot-kick.

Those who attended Camp and Furnace spent 120 minutes screaming from the top of their lungs and smashing the benches and table legs off the floor in the hope to spur their side on.

In a real turn of events, an unlikely rival in Harry Maguire saw his name chanted around the venue as fans look to the defensive mainstay for reassurance whilst they pin their hopes on Kane, Sterling and Jack Grealish.

Whether it was current, retro or a tribute to Gareth Southgate’s side the city was adorned in red and white as cars passing by tooted their horns.

Upon the final whistle, those who ventured into Liverpool flooded out on the streets of the city centre in high spirits with a cocktail of England songs.

After a year of lockdowns and uncertainty, supporters in Liverpool and across the country will a burning desire to witness a feat that hasn’t been replicated in over half a century.

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