England forward Ollie Watkins celebrates after scoring his team's winning goal against the Netherlands in their Euro 2024 semi-final. Photo: AFP
Substitute Ollie Watkins scored a stoppage-time winner to send England through to their second successive European Championship final as they finally turned on the style to beat Netherlands 2-1 on a memorable night in Dortmund.
With the match looking set for extra time, Watkins received a pass from fellow sub Cole Palmer and fired a sweet strike into the far corner.
Photo: AFP
Xavi Simons had brilliantly put the Dutch ahead after seven minutes, with England equalising 11 minutes later with a Harry Kane penalty.
Chances came and went in an all action first half, things settled in the second before the late drama that sends England to play Spain in Berlin on Sunday (Monday NZT).
It was a frenetic start as Simons robbed Declan Rice and slammed a screamer into top corner, and though the Orange Wall behind the goal erupted, it proved something of a false dawn.
England levelled when Kane was caught by the studs of Denzel Dumfries as he shot, earning a VAR-reviewed penalty that the England striker drilled into the bottom corner.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
They were desperately close to a second five minutes later when Phil Foden brilliantly skipped through a series of tackles almost to the line and when he finally dug out a shot Dumfries was on hand to clear it off the line.
The Dutch centre-back was in the spotlight again soon after when he rose magnificently for a corner but thumped his header against the bar, only for England to respond with a fantastic curling shot by Foden that hit the post with the keeper beaten.
England's fans, who had been bored into silence in their previous three games, could barely believe what they were seeing and won the singing war despite being massively outnumbered.
Foden, Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka were playing with the swagger that they showed all season for their clubs while the incredible 19-year-old Kobbie Mainoo was running midfield like a veteran.
It was a scarcely believable transformation as the team who barely mustered a shot against Slovenia, Slovakia and Switzerland sent in crosses high and low, attempted probing through balls and even a couple of backheels in the box while forcing Bart Verbruggen into three sprawling saves.
The Dutch threw on striker Wout Weghorst for the second half while England brought on Luke Shaw but England seemed to lose their energy, playing safely.
For fans who saw the same pattern in the 2018 World Cup semi-final against Croatia and Euro 2020 final against Italy, where England were forced back after early dominance, it was a worry, but this time coach Gareth Southgate took dramatic action by removing Foden and Kane, bringing on Ollie Watkins and Cole Palmer after 80 minutes.
Saka did turn in a low Kyle Walker cross in a rare attack but it was ruled out for offside. However, Palmer, who has looked dangerous every time he has come on in the tournament, threaded a pass into the path of Watkins to cue bedlam.
It was heartbreak for the Dutch, who have now lost four semi-finals since winning the title in 1988.
Reaction
England goalscorer Ollie Watkins: "Unbelievable. I've been waiting for that moment for weeks, for weeks.
"It's taken a lot of hard work to get to where I am today, and grateful that I got the opportunity and I've grabbed it with both hands and I'm delighted.
"I swear on my life ... I said to Cole Palmer, we're coming on today and you're going to set me up and that's why I was so happy with Coley.
"I knew as soon as he got the ball he was going to play me and you've got to be greedy, touch and finish and when I've seen it go in the bottom corner, it's the best feeling ever."
Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk: "I have no words for this. When you concede so late, it's terrible. This hurts a lot. You give it your all and if it still turns out like that, it sucks.
"You have more possession and you want to take advantage of the little moments you get. It felt like we could make it 2-1. But that didn't happen and now we're standing here empty-handed."
England captain Harry Kane: "Amazing achievement, I'm so proud of everyone. Every single player ... It's been a real difficult tournament and to do what we've done away from home is really special, but there's that feeling that there's one more left and we need to get that one on Sunday.
"We talk about being ready, we're a big team on being ready, everyone being ready for when it matters. You might get five minutes, one minute, but you can make a difference, you can win us the tournament.
"And Ollie's been waiting, he's been patient and what he's done out there is outstanding. What a finish. I'm so happy for him, he deserves it."
"We were the better team ... Even going one nil behind, we didn't panic, we stayed calm."
Harry Kane reacts after his penalty put England level. Photo: AFP / DPA
Britain's King Charles: "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."
England's Jude Bellingham: "The most important thing is we come out with the win, finding a way, that character, mentality, that attitude of anyone can win us the game if they're given the chance. Ollie came on today and did that and we're really grateful."
"I think it's something that is built through failure, through the first few games that didn't go so well. Obviously we're going to get criticism when we don't play well, but it's important that you build that fire, you build that kind of resistance to it and understand that we can do better.
"These moments are great. It brings us together as a team and as a family, something we have in common when we've been here another day. It means that we live through these moments together and because of that you get stronger."
- Reuters
