A 90th-minute winner from substitute Ollie Watkins propelled England to the Euro 2024 final, securing a 2-1 victory over the Netherlands in Dortmund on Wednesday. The match began with a promising start for the Dutch as Xavi Simons fired in an early opener, but Harry Kane equalized with a controversial penalty shortly after.
Despite criticism for his substitutions in Germany, England manager Gareth Southgate’s decision to bring on Watkins paid off. In the closing moments, Watkins delivered a low shot across Bart Verbruggen, giving England a rare victory over the Netherlands. England will now face Spain in Sunday’s final in Berlin, putting behind them the negativity faced in recent weeks and looking forward to a second consecutive European Championship final.
Xavi Simons gives the Netherlands hope
England had previously won just one of their last nine encounters with the Netherlands in all competitions, making this victory even more significant. The game didn’t start well for England, as Simons, at 21 years and 80 days old, became the second-youngest player to feature in a major tournament semi-final for the Dutch. He demonstrated his talent by dispossessing Declan Rice and launching a superb shot past Jordan Pickford into the top corner, scoring the earliest goal in a European Championship semi-final since Alan Shearer’s goal in Euro 96.
Harry Kane turns up at right time
Kane responded with a long-range shot saved by Verbruggen, followed by a penalty after Denzel Dumfries fouled him. Kane’s perfect spot-kick not only tied the game but also made him the joint-top scorer at Euro 2024 and the leading European player for knockout stage goals in major tournaments, surpassing legends like Gerd Müller and Miroslav Klose.
Phil Foden had a chance to put England ahead, but his effort was saved by Verbruggen and cleared off the line by Dumfries. The Dutch right-back nearly scored at the other end, hitting the crossbar with a header, while Foden struck the post from over 20 yards shortly after. England’s offensive pressure was evident, matching their highest number of shots on target in the tournament by the 39th minute.
The second half began with changes from both managers, including Luke Shaw replacing Kieran Trippier for England. The game calmed down significantly, with the first shot on goal in the half coming from Virgil van Dijk in the 65th minute, which was saved by Pickford.
Wout Weghorst made his presence felt for the Dutch, conceding several free-kicks, but England’s intensity dropped in the second half. Southgate made late substitutions, bringing on Watkins and Cole Palmer, with Saka’s potential goal being disallowed for offside.
Watkins becomes England’s Euro 2024 semifinal hero
As the match neared its end, Watkins capitalized on a pass from Palmer, skillfully maneuvering past Stefan de Vrij and scoring with a precise strike in the 90th minute. This goal, at 89:59, became the latest winning goal in a semi-final at the European Championship or World Cup (excluding extra time). It was England’s only shot on target in the second half but secured their place in the final.
This victory marks England as the first team in European Championship history to reach the final after trailing in both the quarter-final and semi-final. Meanwhile, the Netherlands have now been eliminated from five of their six European Championship semi-final appearances, their first since 2004.
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