Euro24 : Watkins screamer end Dutch hopes as England reach back to back final

 



The match had reached the 90-minute mark. The referee's whistle was awaited , and both teams' coaches began preparing for extra time. But then, the story took a dramatic turn.


Substitute Ollie Watkins delivered a brilliant finish, securing England's spot in the Euro finals. This Aston Villa striker became the hero by scoring in the last minute of regulation time. Watkins' goal allowed England to defeat the Netherlands 2-1, marking their second consecutive Euro final appearance. Spain now awaits England in the final.


England manager Gareth Southgate has another chance at redemption. The last time, England lost to Italy in the final, missing out on the cup in the tiebreaker . This time, Southgate has a new opportunity. Only time will tell what the outcome will be.


The Netherlands took an early lead in the match. Before the spectators could settle, the Netherlands' Simmons fired a shot past England's Declan Rice, scoring a bullet-speed goal. English goalkeeper Jordan Pickford had no chance to stop it. The game was barely seven minutes in. England soon equalized.


Southgate's team's performance leading up to the semi-final had been criticized. Despite reaching the last four, Foden's play hadn't won over the fans. However, in the semi-final against the Dutch, England displayed a different side. Southgate's boys put pressure on the Netherlands with a lot of passes.


Phil Foden was particularly threatening. His left-footed curling shot hit the Netherlands' post, and he was briefly reminiscent of Spain's Yamal. Denzel Dumfries once again saved a shot from Foden at the goal line. Dumfries then fouled Harry Kane in the box, leading to a controversial penalty decision. Kane didn't miss from the spot. Dumfries had a chance to redeem himself, but his header from a corner hit the bar.


In the second half, both teams became cautious, and the game lost its momentum. Despite maintaining possession, England struggled to break into the attacking third, thanks to the Dutch defence. Simmons and Dyke focused on counter-attacks. In the 65th minute, Virgil Dyke's shot was spectacularly saved by the England goalkeeper. Both teams continued to test each other, creating goal opportunities, but none were converted.


As the match approached its end, the decisive moment came. Watkins received the ball from Palmer and scripted a fantastic finish, determining the match's fate.

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