England eliminates the Netherlands and will meet Spain in the final

After a very lively semi-final, the Three Lions won by a hair’s breadth against Ronald Koeman’s team (2-1) on Wednesday, and qualify for the final for the second consecutive edition.

THE back to back. Three years after reaching the final of “their” Euro at Wembley, England repeated the feat by winning in extremis against the Netherlands (2-1), Wednesday July 10 in Dortmund, thanks to a goal from Ollie Watkins. Gareth Southgate’s men thus secure the last ticket for the final of Euro 2024, where they will face Spain, who defeated France, on Sunday evening in Berlin.

The Three Lions started the game trailing, after a sublime cross shot from Xavi Simons, who had come to scrape the ball from Declan Rice’s feet before running alone on goal to find Jordan Pickford’s top corner (1-0, 7th). But a sole from Denzel Dumfries on Harry Kane in the area allowed the top scorer in England’s history to equalize on a penalty (1-1, 18th). A scoreline that lasted until Ollie Watkins, replacing Kane, made the difference with a cross shot at the end of the run and at the end of regulation time (2-1, 90th+1).

If Gareth Southgate and his men had to stop in the quarter-finals at the last World Cup, beaten by the French team (1-2), they have once again qualified for the final of a Euro, three years after having failed against Italy on penalties (1-1, 2-3 pen). A real feat, since before this final played at home, the Three Lions had never managed to reach this stage of the competition.

The England coach was nevertheless heavily criticised during the Euro, with English supporters no longer tolerating the minimalist game that forced the English to go through a miraculous extra time in the round of 16 against Slovakia (2-1 aet) and then through penalties in the quarter-finals against Switzerland (1-1, 5-3 pen). But, if France failed to qualify with this same style of play, Gareth Southgate was able to count on his many attacking talents to unlock this semi-final.

The introductions of Cole Palmer and Ollie Watkins in place of Harry Kane and Phil Foden in the 81st minute are the perfect example. The former finished as the assist for the latter, now a hero to an entire nation. Before these sensational introductions, Phil Foden had nevertheless been looking for a long time to make the difference. The best player of the last Premier League season is still looking for his first goal in this Euro. He had almost found the net with a hook and a light strike with his right foot, saved by Denzel Dumfries on his line (23rd).

Manchester City’s will-o’-the-wisp tried his luck again a few minutes later with a heavy cross shot that hit Bart Verbruggen’s right-hand corner (32nd), before trying his hand at ground level (39th). Failing to shine in finishing, Foden will have to be content with a 100% success rate on his passes, 100% successful tackles and three duels won. Too bad for him that every time a player replaces him, he gives England victory: Cole Palmer provided the assist on the qualifying goal on Wednesday, as did Ivan Toney against Slovakia, while Trent Alexander-Arnold scored the winning penalty against Switzerland.