England secures a thrilling 2-1 victory over the Netherlands in the second semifinal of the Euro Cup 2024 to set up a grand finale with Spain.
Match Details
Result:
Netherlands 1-2 England
Goalscorers:
England: Kane- 18 Min (PEN), Watkins – 90 Min
Netherlands: Xavi -7 Min 
First Half Analysis
Stats lie as much as they tell the truth, and this couldn’t be a more fitting description of this half. England dominated for the most half and looked like the better team overall. On the other hand, the Oranje struck first but looked second best for the most part, especially after the controversial penalty decision. Both teams hit the woodwork but only have a goal to show for it. Both managers have their task cut out, though the momentum seems to be with the Three Lions now , but the Dutch have repeatedly shown that they only need a split-second moment to counter and turn the tables upside down.
Key Points
- VAR: A 50-50 penalty call went in their favor and allowed England to return on level terms.
- Fine Margins: Goal Line clearance from Dumfries denied the men in white to take the lead and capitalize on their momentum
- Delivered via Post: Further efforts by Foden and Ake hit the post, denying both of them another chance of surging ahead.
Second Half Highlights
The second half was as anti-climatic as it gets and was the polar opposite of the first. For the entire second half .. both teams struggled to find their mojo. The Dutch did force a couple of saves from Pickford and wrestled the momentum late in the half, but it wasn’t bearing fruit. This side of the half was marred by fouls, stoppages in play, safe Sideways passing from both sides, and an overall snoozefest right till the very end.
But the late substitutions made by Southgate turned out to be the game-changer. The inspired substitution of Watkins stopped any debate in stoppage time about who was going through. Quality over quantity, as the only shot on target by them in the 2nd half turned out to be the winner. And what a shot it was. Words won’t do any justice, so I recommend watching the highlights. And with that, the Oranje army goes home, and The Three Lions kick and scream to Berlin for their 2nd major finals In 4 years … La Roja awaits them.
Key Points
- Falling Sho(r)t: Pickford makes a couple of saves to keep the Dutch at bay
- The Dutch dominated, frustrated England, and got yellow cards out of them, creating good chances, but it was all in vain.
- Ollie Watkins produces an injury-time stunner to send England through
Match Defining Moments
Lady Luck smiles on the Three Lions: After falling behind thanks to a Xavi Simons wonder strike, England got a lucky penalty call in their favor, which on any other might have gone against them. Harry Kane, who went off the pitch before their last shootout, managed to slot this spot kick home to perfection in the bottom corner.
Post-Mortem: Though the Dutch did manage to mount a comeback in the second half and were in the game right up till the very end, there is one thing that will haunt them all night. They have had so many close misses and shots hitting the post. Even if one of those shots had gone, it would have changed the course of the game.
89:59: That was the exact moment when substitute Ollie Watkins who was the understudy to their talisman Harry Kane rose to the occasion and became the man of the moment . His turn turned the tide in their favour and turned their fortunes from being subjected to an extra time slowest to I flirting sudden fatality upon the valiant Dutch warriors who would feel hard done by .
Implications and Future Prospects
For England: It wasn’t pretty, but they won’t care. They were not tipped by many to go through; they once again kicked and screamed their way to yet another final. They always find a way to go through it, even if they don’t look like doing so for 99% of the match. But maybe that makes you a champion: finding ways to win even when you are not at your best. And they would need that slice of luck in Berlin as they face off against Spain, which beat France with relative ease.
For the Netherlands: This defeat ends their journey of this edition of EUROS. They would be gutted to be in the final, especially after having the game in their hand for 90 minutes just to bottle it. But for the most part, this has been a happy outing in hindsight where both Youth and experience meshed together well. This bodes well for their upcoming Nations League fixture in September. The Dutch hope to brush off this antagonizing stoppage time loss and get about their business once again.
Upcoming Fixtures
England vs. Spain: 15th July ’24
Odds: Spain (-155), England (+120)
Conclusion
England went to the finals of EUROS 2024 after being pushed to the edge by their Dutch counterparts. While the three Lions had their Moments in the first half, they were 2nd best for most of the match. But stats and other metrics that don’t pertain to the scoreboard don’t win your matches. The end product does, and the turtle seems to have won the race here. They were slow and sluggish for most of the 2nd half but managed to strike when it mattered the most to set up a meeting with Spain, giving the Oranje boys the Blues for the rest of the summer.
