With 95 minutes played, Gareth Southgate's men were all but out of Euro 2024, only seconds of stoppage time remaining before they would have to face the consequences of a defeat every bit as ignominious as their last 16 exit at the hands of Iceland eight years ago.

Slovakia were on the verge of the greatest result in their history, and the biggest shock of this tournament. But then Jude Bellingham threw himself horizontally at Marc Guehi's flick-on, connected perfectly with the ball to send his overhead shot past Martin Dubravka for an equaliser that never looked like coming.

A minute into extra time, Harry Kane, who'd missed a sitter earlier, made no mistake by heading home from close range, and that was it – it will be England rather than Slovakia facing Switzerland in a Dusseldorf quarter-final next weekend.

But it did not look likely for much of this muggy evening in Gelsenkirchen.

Milan Skriniar had mocked England's tactics, suggesting Slovenia were able to cope comfortably with long balls from Jordan Pickford, but Ivan Schranz opened the scoring in classic route one style. Right-back Peter Pekarik lofted a ball forward down the right, Juraj Kucka headed on and David Strelec took a touch before playing in Schranz, who got ahead of Marc Guehi to finish coolly, sliding a low shot past Pickford.

It was no less than Slovakia deserved for their smart game plan and more attacking intent. While England started on the back foot once again, passing the ball sideways across the back four repeatedly, Francesco Calzona's side were more interested in going for goal.

Left-back David Hancko and Lukas Haraslin were giving Kyle Walker a torrid time, getting past the Manchester City man regularly and firing in dangerous crosses or shots. Kieran Trippier was not doing much better on England's left, unable to get forward to much effect and struggling to cope defensively. One poor back pass from the Newcastle man was too short for Guehi and the Palace defender crunched into Strelec, leading to a second booking of the tournament. That puts him out of a Saturday.

England once again looked devoid of a genuine threat going forward, and Dubravka did not have a save to make in another first half that ended with booing from England supporters. Kobbie Mainoo, the latest to be drafted in alongside Declan Rice, was always looking for a forward pass, unlike some of his team-mates, but Kane was being well marshalled by Skriniar, and Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden were fringe figures again. When Bellingham released Saka on the right, the Arsenal man overhit his cross, while Foden kept coming deeper and more centrally in search of the ball.

Kane, too, frustrated at a lack of service, dropped deeper, while Bellingham's frustration showed with a crude tackle on Haraslin.

Surprisingly Southgate did not make any changes at half-time, perhaps thinking more of the same would bring results.

They did finally produce a flowing move that resulted in Foden putting the ball in the net, but he was offside when he met a low cross from Trippier, who was injured shortly afterwards.

That gave Southgate a chance to reset, sending on Cole Palmer and switching Saka to left-back. Palmer, who got a huge cheer from England's frustrated supporters, immediately looked dangerous, setting up a great shooting chance for Bellingham, who lost his footing.

The Real Madrid star had been underwhelming until that late strike, showing flashes of brilliance but also looking rash at times, joining in with the general trend of lofting aimless crosses into the Slovakian penalty area, where the home side would inevitably win the ball.

One exception came in the 78th minute when Foden's pinpoint freekick from the left found Kane, but the England captain headed wide from barely eight yards. He missed another, harder chance soon after, when a long shot from Rice rebounded off a post, and Kane could only scuff the rebound over.

Then just as the final minute of stoppage time was on the horizon, a long throw from the right was flicked on by Guehi, Bellingham produced an overhead kick out of nowhere and England were level.

A minute into extra time they were ahead. England won a free kick on the right, it fell for Eberechi Eze, whose mis-hit shot went wide of goal towards fellow substitute Ivan Toney. The Brentford man directed his header back across goal, where Kane was waiting to thump the ball powerfully past Dubravka with his head.

England were ahead for the first time and Southgate wanted to protect his lead, replacing both Kane and Bellingham at the break in stoppage time with defensive players, Conor Gallagher and Ezri Konsa.

It meant England performing a rearguard action for the final 15 minutes, but they were rarely threatened seriously and even had a chance to score, only for Toney to shoot over the bar.

Moments after Pickford collected the final cross of the game, referee Umut Meler blew the final whistle and the England keeper was celebrating with the fans behind him.

ENGLAND 4-2-3-1 Pickford 6; Walker 6, Stones 7, Guehi 7, Trippier 6 (Palmer 66); Rice 8, Mainoo 7 (Eze 84); Saka 7, Bellingham 8 (Konsa 105), Foden 7 (Toney 90+3); Kane 7 (Gallagher 105) 

SLOVAKIA 4-3-3 Dubravka 7; Pekarik 6 (Tupta 108), Vavro 7, Skriniar 7, Hancko 7; Kucka 7 (Bero 82), Lobotka 6, Duda 6 (Benes 82); Schranz 7 (Gyomber 90+1), Strelec 7 (Petkovic 62), Haraslin 7 (Suslov 62) 

Referee: Umut Meler (Turkey) 7/10