England lacked 'cutting edge': Cahill

Saint-Étienne (France) (AFP) – England captain Gary Cahill said Monday his side had lacked “cutting edge” as they drew 0-0 with Slovakia and finished second in Group B to Wales.

“We tried and tried and they shut the door in our face,” Cahill told ITV.

England coach Roy Hodgson made six changes to the line-up, but Cahill denied it had affected the result.

“I don’t think so,” he said. “We had the ball constantly, we just didn’t quite have that cutting edge to open them up.

“In games like that you sometimes need something a little bit special.

“We obviously tried to bring fresh legs in there, it’s very difficult to play this intense and in this heat and I think we looked good. On another day we should win.”

Cahill agreed that the opening 1-1 draw with Russia had ultimately cost England dear.

“Of course. We may as well move on, we know we’re second in the group now and we know we’ve got a huge game coming up.”

England now face the runner-up in Group F in Nice on June 27.