The Three Lions of England are through to their second consecutive UEFA European Championship final after a 2-1 semi-final victory over the Netherlands – courtesy of Ollie Watkins’ sensational stoppage-time strike.
England will lock horns with Spain in the final on Sunday at the Olympiastadion stadium in Berlin.
It was the Dutch who went in front in the 7th minute when Xavi Simons fired into the far top corner from distance, sending the Westfalenstadion’s ‘Oranje Muur’ into ecstasy.
But captain Harry Kane presented England a way back into the game when referee Felix Zwayer pointed to the spot following Denzel Dumfries’ high challenge on the striker. England’s all-time top scorer duly buried the spot-kick into the bottom left from 12 yards.
Consequently, the best of the final moments of normal time went the way of the Three Lions, and Gareth Southgate’s substitutions proved a masterstroke as England snatched victory once again.
Watkins received the ball from Cole Palmer with it all to do, but he spun away from Stefan de Vrij and fired into the bottom corner to send his side to the final.
The Netherlands, meanwhile, were unable to replicate their performance from the 1988 Euros where they lifted the trophy in Germany – the Oranje’s only major honour to date.
The English team is hoping to go one step further than at Euro 2020 when they lost the final on penalties to Italy.
But in their way are the best team at Euro 2024 so far, three-time champions Spain. England did win the most recent tie, a 3-2 victory in Seville in the 2018 Nations League, but only won two of their 10 meetings before that.
