England through to Euro 2024 final after tense win over Netherlands
England is through to a second consecutive European Championship final, coming from behind to beat the Netherlands 2-1 in Dortmund.
Xavi Simons’s stunning opener gave the Dutch an early lead, but England hit back almost immediately through a Harry Kane penalty.
England dominated the first half, but aside from Phil Foden hitting the post and having a shot stopped on the line, it could not break through for a second goal.
The Netherlands grew in stature during the second half, testing Jordan Pickford’s goal.
But second-half substitutes Cole Palmer and Ollie Watkins linked up superbly in injury time, with Watkins’s low strike handing England its first major tournament victory in a semifinal on foreign soil.
England has faced a deluge of criticism throughout the Euro 2024 tournament, having bored its way through to the knockout stages with performances that have, at best, been described as disjointed.
Manager Gareth Southgate has born the brunt of that frustration, with his negative and conservative play being seen as stifling England’s bevvy of attacking players.
But nobody can argue that his changes made the difference in Dortmund, as England finally solved the puzzle posed by the improved second-half Dutch defence thanks to his two changes.
It was bold to take off skipper Kane, and arguably even bolder to remove England’s best first-half player in Foden with 10 minutes of normal time remaining.
But when those two combined for a last-gasp winner that had Southgate and England supporters screaming in joy on the sidelines, it is hard not to feel like he was fully vindicated.
Under Southgate England has now reached consecutive European Championship finals, a World Cup semi and a quarterfinal.
A victory in Berlin on Monday, Australian time, would go a long way to securing his status as England’s greatest manager alongside 1966 World Cup winner Sir Alf Ramsay.
The rejuvenation England felt was In evidence from the first moments of the first half as the Three Lions shed all their inhibitions to play with glorious fluidity throughout the first half.
Sticking with the three at the back formation that worked, to a degree, in the shootout victory over Switzerland in the quarterfinals, England looked lively and dominated possession against a Dutch side who had no answer to England’s early inventiveness.
However, it was the Netherlands who took the lead, with Simons unleashing a thunderbolt of a strike into the top corner inside the opening 10 minutes.
England continued to press though and were gifted a penalty just 10 minutes later when Denzel Dumfries was ruled to have kicked Kane in the penalty area.
The decision was given via VAR but seemed harsh even then, with Dumfries surely entitled to challenge for the ball, before being kicked on the underside of his boot by Kane on his follow through.
That did not bother Kane though, who slotted his 66th goal in England colours with a sublime penalty, stroking the ball into the corner of the net.
England had plenty of chances in the first half, with Foden seeing a dinked shot cleared off the line by Dumfries — who also saw a header hit the top of the bar in a rare Dutch foray forward — and then hitting the post with a delightful curling effort, as the Dutch struggled to contain England’s midfield.
However, a far more tight and tense second half saw the Netherlands finally regain control, with Wout Weghorst leading the line as England resorted to a back four.
That all changed with Southgate’s late substitutions though, as England head to Berlin and a date with Spain.
Look back on how all the action unfolded in our live blog.
Key events
That’s where we’ll wrap things up
England is through to the European Championship final.
Anyone who saw the Three Lions play earlier in the tournament will think that we’re joking.
But today England looked like they team everyone hoped they could be, for 45 minutes at least.
After the dominance of the first half it came down to another of the virtues that Gareth Southgate has instilled in his team – grit – that saw them home with a late winner.
That’s all from us this morning.
We’ll see you Monday for the final.
Will and Kate enjoyed that win
It’s worth saying, Ollie Watkins was playing for Weston-super-Mare – on loan from Exeter City – in England’s non-league just nine years ago.
Now he’s put England into the final of a major tournament.
“I never thought I’d be playing in the Euros for England,” Watkins has said in his press conference.
“You can dream but I am a realist, I just take by day and one step at a time. I was just focused on getting back into the first team at Exeter.”
When is the Euros final?
England will now meet Spain in the Euros final in Berlin at the Olympiastadion on Monday morning.
You can watch it on Optus Sport from 5:00am AEDT on Monday.
OR
You can join me on the ABC Sport live blog from 4:30am AEDT.
Wouldn’t that be fun for everyone?
It is a repeat of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup final, where Spain got one up over England 1-0 in Sydney, in case you needed reminding.
Chance of a reverse on Monday? Or a repeat?
Ollie Watkins has been ‘waiting for that moment’
Here is Ollie Watkins, who hilariously was named player of the match for his nine-minute cameo.
“I’ve been waiting for that moment for weeks,” he tells ITV.
“It’s taken a lot of hard work to get to where I am today. I’m delighted.
“I swear on my life that I said to Cole Palmer that he’s going to set me up today and I’m going to score. It’s the best feeling ever.
“There’s been a lot of criticism but we’re in the final and that’s all that matters.”
‘Sometimes you get them sometimes you don’t’: Kane on penalty
Harry Kane says England may have been fortunate with the penalty, but their first half performance warranted a degree of luck.
“My foot’s hanging off so he definitely caught me,” Kane says.
“Sometimes you get them, sometimes you don’t.
“I was happy to step up and see that go in the back of the net.
“It was a nice feeling for sure.
“Especially in the first half we had a lot of control. Second half there were a few tired legs out there.
“Overall I thought we deserved to win it.”
‘History made’: Harry Kane speaks to UK TV
Harry Kane has just been speaking on UK TV network, ITV.
“History made. Amazing achievement.
“I’m so proud of everyone. Every player, every member of staff, I’m so proud of them,” he says.
“To do what we’ve done away from home is really special.
“There’s that feeling there’s one more left.
“[Spain will be]Another unbelievably tough game.
“There’s one more game to make history. That’s what we’re excited about.
“It’s been a tough journey but there’s one more. 90 minutes, 120, penalties, whatever it takes we’ll be there. I’m looking forward to it.”
He also praises his replacement, Ollie Watkins.
“We talk about being ready. We’re a big team at being ready. When it matters, you might get five minutes, one minute, but you can make a difference , you can win us a tournament.
“He’s been waiting, he’s been patient. What he did was outstanding and he deserves it.”
Hilarious Royal seal of approval
The BBC is reporting that King Charles III has sent the England team a message.
And it’s a good one.
“My wife and I join all our family in wishing you the warmest congratulations on reaching the final of the Uefa European Championship – and in sending our very best wishes for Sunday’s match.
“If I may encourage you to secure victory before the need for any last minute wonder-goals or another penalties drama, I am sure the stresses on the nation’s collective heart rate and blood pressure would be greatly alleviated!
“Good luck, England.
“Charles R”
That came from the BBC Royal Correspondent Daniela Relph.
Dutch heartbreak
Joy of the English
Pundits praise Gareth Southgate
England’s manager Gareth Southgate has come under all sorts of fire in England’s dire performances so far this tournament.
But it was his substitutes that made the difference today.
“Credit to Gareth Southgate and how he adjusted it – it worked perfectly,” says former England player Matt Upsonon the BBC.
“The goal was a thing of beauty, the movement, the swivel and the hit was super sharp – worthy of a winning goal.”
“England had to suffer for large parts because of the switch Ronald Koeman made,” says Alan Shearer on the BBC.
“They couldn’t find a way it was crying out for a substitute, that man was Ollie Watkins and he did it perfectly well.
“I was wondering when the changes were going to happen. The changes were right and they were perfect.
“What a night for Watkins and England.
“At times, yes Gareth Southgate has been criticised.
“But, in that first half tonight I thought it was magnificent, it was more like what we wanted – he deserves all the credit.”
England is peaking at the right time
Despite all the criticism, England under Southgate have a resilience that the Golden Generation didn’t have
– Sean
There has been so much criticism. Some of it fair, some of it not. That’s football in England – rarely are considered opinions listened to.
But there can be no doubt that Southgate has done exactly what has been asked of him.
Consecutive European Championship finalists.
England are in the final!
England has won! England are into the final!
It’s their first ever semifinal victory in a major tournament on foreign soil!
They left it late – the early brilliance was converted into a desperate drag in the second half that looked like it might get away from them, but Southgate’s substitutions did the job.
A late goal from substitute Ollie Watkins gets England over the line.
90+5′ Bellingham fouled in front of the England bench
And the England bench celebrate like it is another goal.
There was only two minutes added on.
90+3′ A member of the England bench is booked
They kicked the ball away, I think.
The Dutch are streaming forward.
90+2′ Changes galore
Buyaka Saka is coming off Ezra Konsa, Kobbie Maynoo is off for Conor Gallagher,
Simons and Dumfies are both off for the Netherlands. Joey Veerman is on, as is Joshua Zirkzee.
90+1′ ENGLAND SCORE!
What a finish from Ollie Watkins!
Cole Palmer played the ball into the Watkins, who held the ball up, turned and hammered it across goal and into the back of the net!
Phenomenal stuff from the substitute!
88′ Chance England
Luke Shaw plays a lovely ball across the face of goal, but Watkins can’t get there in time.
The ball falls instead to Cole Palmer, who hammers his shot from inside the penalty area over the bar.
87′ Dutch denied a clear corner, van Dijk booked
Virgil van Dijk and Wout Weghorst both leaped for the ball, John Stones got up between them and gets a flick on the ball to turn it behind for a corner.
But the referee gives a free kick.
Van Dijk disagrees with a bit too much enthusiasm for the referee and is shown a yellow cards.
86′ Gakpo gets a free kick in a dangerous position
Lovely football from the Dutch.
Saka just clipping Gakpo as he turned inside and raced towards goal as the Dutch stream forward from the back once again.
Saka is shown a yellow card.
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