make heavy going of

make heavy going of (third-person singular simple present makes heavy going of, present participle making heavy going of, simple past and past participle made heavy going of)

1. (idiomatic) to make heavy weather of
   • 2013, Daniel Taylor, Steven Gerrard goal against Poland ensures England will go to World Cup (in The Guardian, 15 October 2013)

     England have made heavy going of Group H but they have handled the pressures of their last two games admirably and playing at their own stadium no longer appears to fill with them with apprehension.