Substitute Ollie Watkins scored a stoppage-time winner to send England through to their second successive European Championship final on July 10th, as they finally turned on the style to beat Netherlands 1-2 England on a memorable night in Dortmund. The match looked to be heading for extra time until Watkins took a feed from fellow replacement Cole Palmer and fired a beautiful strike into the far corner. leading the England fans in the crowd to roar in joy.
First Half: A Tale of Two Goals and Missed Chances
Xavi Simons made a quick start by stealing the ball from Declan Rice and scoring a powerful goal into the top corner within seven minutes. The crowd behind the goal went wild, but it turned out to be a short-lived success. England equalized 11 minutes later when Denzel Dumfries fouled Harry Kane while he was taking a shot, resulting in a penalty after a VAR review, which the England striker placed into the bottom corner.
Opportunities came and went during an action-packed first half. Five minutes after the equalizer, Phil Foden skillfully slipped through a series of challenges, almost reaching the line before eventually pulling out a shot that Dumfries cleared off the line. The Dutch centre-back was back in the spotlight shortly after as he rose wonderfully for a corner but smashed his header against the crossbar. England answered with a stunning curling attempt from Foden that struck the post with the keeper beaten.
Second Half: England Dominance and Late Drama
The Dutch brought on striker Wout Weghorst in the second half, while England introduced Luke Shaw. However, England appeared to lose momentum and played more cautiously. Fans who witnessed the similar pattern in the 2018 World Cup semi-final against Croatia and the Euro 2020 final against Italy, where early domination dragged back England, were concerned.
Once again, coach Gareth Southgate took extreme action, dismissing Foden and Kane and replacing them with Ollie Watkins and Cole Palmer after 80 minutes. Saka did send in a low Kyle Walker cross in a rare assault, but it was called out for offside. However, Palmer, who has looked threatening every time he has been in the competition, threaded a pass into the path of Watkins, causing chaos.
England Transformation and Southgate Masterstroke
England supporters, who had been bored into silence in their previous three games, could not believe what they were witnessing. Foden, Jude Bellingham, and Bukayo Saka were playing with the confidence they had displayed all season for their clubs, while the remarkable 19-year-old Kobbie Mainoo ran midfield like a veteran.
It was an almost unbelievable change as the team that couldn’t manufacture a shot against Slovenia, Slovakia, and Switzerland threw in crosses high and low, attempted probing through balls, and even attempted a few backheels in the box, which forced Bart Verbruggen to make three diving saves.
Southgate’s substitutions proved to be a masterstroke. Watkins and Palmer injected fresh energy and purpose into the attack, and it was Palmer’s vision and Watkins’ clinical finish that ultimately secured England’s victory.
Aftermath: Heartbreak for the Dutch, Glory for England
It was heartbreaking for the Dutch, who had lost four semi-finals since winning the title in 1988. England, on the other hand, celebrates reaching their second consecutive European Championship final. They will face Spain in Berlin on July 14th, hoping to finally lift the trophy after coming so close in recent years.
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