England progressed to the European Championship final with Ollie Watkins’ dream goal. In Sunday’s final match, the “best team of the tournament” will face Spain.
European Football Championships on channels 14.6.–14.7. Go to the competition website from this link. Spain and England will play in the European Championship final on Sunday, July 14. Pre-match studio on TV2 from 21:00.
England beat the Netherlands in the EC semi-final with a score of 2–1, when the substitute player Ollie Watkins scored an incredibly nice goal.
– I didn’t dream about that, to be honest. “Scoring a goal for England is great, but I didn’t think I would do it like that in a qualifier,” Watkins said at a press conference for the British Broadcasting Corporation According to the BBC.
The match was only the 14th for the 28-year-old center forward and the goal was the fourth for England.
– When I was on the bench, I said (goalkeeper) To Dean Henderson, that I can influence the game and I have to get on the field. I got my chance, I scored and now we’re in the final, Watkins said.
“The best season of my career”
Watkins represents Aston Villa, who plays in the English Premier League, at the club level. In the 37 league matches of the completed season, he scored 19 goals and provided 13 assists that led to goals.
– Of course, I have been frustrated lately. I don’t want to sit on the bench – I just had the best season of my career, Watkins said.
About this topic England captain Harry Kane raved Watkins, who replaced him on the field.
– We are talking about having to be ready (for the field). The whole team is good at it. You might get five minutes or one minute of playing time, but you can influence the match. You might secure a tournament win. Watkins has waited and been patient. He deserves that (winning goal), Kane said.
Kane’s own playing condition has raised concerns, as he was also replaced in the quarter-finals in Switzerland before the tough match. BBC reporter Alex Howell said after the semi-final on his social media accountthat Kane will be able to play in the final.
Seven years ago, Watkins represented Exeter City, who at that time played in England’s fourth highest league level. In the years before his last season at that club, he was mainly a substitute player or on loan.
At the press conference, Watkins said he never thought he would be able to represent England at the European Championships.
– You can always dream, but I am a realist. I’m going one day at a time. I was just focused on breaking into the Exeter starting line-up.
Parjattu head coach with determination
England head coach Gareth Southgate has been criticized a lot during the EC tournament.
Among other things, the player of the season of the Spanish League plays in the team Jude Bellingham and awarded as the player of the season in the English league Phil Foden. Harry Kane, the best scorer of the German league season, is the center forward.
Still, England have scored only seven goals in six matches. England, playing to protect their own goal, did not defend perfectly either.
Southgate hasn’t gotten the most out of the team’s stardom.
As the tournament progresses, the barking has changed to praise. After the semi-final, for example, Southgate’s substitutions were praised. Among other things, the head coach let Ollie Watkins onto the field and he scored the winning goal by Cole Palmer.
– Sometimes Southgate has been criticized. (For the semi-final win) he deserves all the credit. The exchanges were perfect. What a night for Watkins and England, said the former England striker Alan Shearer.
Scorned head coach Southgate was resolute and determined after the match.
– This is why we came here and we have been preparing for this for two years (after the World Cup). We enjoy tonight, but at the same time we have to start thinking about the future. We have another day less time to prepare to face the best team in the tournament (Spain), Southgate said.
European Football Championships on channels 14.6.–14.7. Go to the competition website from this link. Spain and England will play in the European Championship final on Sunday, July 14. Pre-match studio on TV2 from 21:00.