The Euro 2024 final will pit Spain against England. On Wednesday 10 July, the day after the Spanish victory against France, the English had the last word in the other semi-final against the Netherlands (2-1). A goal from Harry Kane and a goal in the last minutes from Ollie Watkins made the Three Lions happy.
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What if this time it was finally the right one? In England, we might not dare to dream too much, as hopes have often been disappointed. Since 1966 and the World Cup won at home, the Three Lions have been chasing a new trophy. Three years ago, at home, they believed in it before losing in the Euro final against Italy. This year, they will have the opportunity to redeem themselves and finally add to their list of achievements.
The ticket to the final of theEuro 2024 took a long time to finish in England’s hands on Wednesday at the Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund. The Netherlands, who had not reached the semi-finals of a European Championship for 20 years, gave England a hard time. And the fate of the match changed in the final seconds.
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Kane responds to Simons’ gem
Things got off to a bad start for the English side with Xavi Simons’ quick opening goal. The player, owned by PSG and loaned last season to RB Leipzig, stole the ball from Declan Rice’s feet, advanced down the middle and unleashed a huge, tight shot from the edge of the penalty area. A winning shot that goalkeeper Jordan Pickford could only graze (7th).
Stung to the quick, the English selection reacted quickly. First checked by Bart Verbruggen in the game, Harry Kane did not tremble when he presented himself in front of the Dutch goalkeeper, a few minutes later, on penalty. With the help of his video assistants, the German referee Mr. Felix Zwayer sanctioned a high foot by Denzel Dumfries in the area, and “captain Kane” brought his team back to 1-1 with a powerful shot (18th).
In this first half played at a high pace, Three Lions and Oranje had the chances to score more. Phil Foden slalomed into the area before Dumfries saved the ball on the line. The same Dumfries, in an attacking role, headed a corner from Simons and hit Pickford’s crossbar. And on the other side, Foden again distinguished himself by sending a beautiful curling shot onto Verbruggen’s post.
Watkins delivers England on the gong
Dominant in the first half, the English kept their foot on the ball after the break, but the intensity faded as the minutes ticked by. The Netherlands gave Gareth Southgate’s men a few cold sweats, like with this shot from Virgil van Dijk deflected by Pickford or this volley from Simons again pushed back by the goalkeeper. Long discreet, Bukayo Sako thought he had freed his team in the last quarter of an hour, but an offside was flagged and his goal was invalidated.
A new extension seemed promised to these two teams until this decisive move by Ollie Watkins, on the field for barely 10 minutes. Found by Cole Palmer in the area, the striker resisted the pressure of Stefan de Vrij and unleashed a shot on the turn which ended its course in the side netting of Verbruggen (90 + 1st). A terrible blow for the Netherlands, who threw themselves into the attack to snatch the equalizer in the final seconds. In vain.
This is England who will face SpainSunday July 14 in Berlin. The Dutch, disgusted by a cruel scenario, will not be entitled to a final revenge against the Roja, 14 years after their defeat at the 2010 World Cup. The Three Lions will not start as favorites against the most solid and attractive team of this Euro. But after having survived in extremis in the eighth against Slovakia, after having overcome the curse on penalties in the quarter-finals against Switzerland, and therefore this success on the gong against the Netherlands, the English have reasons to finally believe in their star.