England taught Germany a lesson in merciless finishing by transforming its only two meaningful opportunities in this Euro 2020 last-16 encounter, bringing an end to its decades-long inferiority complex against its old, historic foe.

Germany hadn't lost a knockout game to England in a major international game since the 1966 World Cup final, but goals in the second half from Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane handed the host team a 2-0 victory and a place in the quarterfinals.

That wasn't a thriller, at least not for the uninitiated. At times, both teams appeared to be more fearful of losing than thrilled about winning.

Chances were few and far between; in fact, Germany seemed to have the better chances until Sterling's close-range strike gave England the lead in the 75th minute.

England seized on their opportunities whenever it mattered, playing in front of a partisan 40,000 crowd that made Wembley Stadium seem like it was at capacity.

The entrance of England head coach Gareth Southgate's Jack Grealish in the second half also assisted in changing the flow of the game.

Grealish was involved in both of England's goals and would almost definitely have made his claim for a starting spot in the upcoming round against Ukraine, who defeated Sweden 2-1 later on Tuesday in Glasgow. On Saturday, the quarterfinal will be contested at Rome's Stadio Olimpico.

As "It's Coming Home," the chorus of England's national song "Three Lions," rang over Wembley, the English players walked a well-deserved lap of honor and basked in the adoration of a euphoric audience.

Thousands of anxious fans had congregated on Wembley Way — the iconic road leading up to England's national stadium — many hours before kick-off, their anxiety expressing in a cacophony of songs and slogans which were never completely in rhythm.

Small pockets of German fans working their way through the sea of white shirts were welcomed with raucous booing; they were far outnumbered in the 40,000-person maximum audience.