England are through to the final of Euro 24 after substitute Ollie Watkins scored in the dying seconds of normal time. Nothing beats the euphoria of a last-gasp winner. Watkins had only been on the pitch for a few minutes before he rifled a stunning low shot into the far corner of the goal. There were 90+1 minutes on the clock when the ball went into the net. Everyone – players, fans, the coaching staff – went wild.
It falls to those of us who have criticised England manager Gareth Southgate for his negativity and caution when it comes to the must-win games in the big tournaments to eat a large slice of humble pie. Southgate‘s game plan worked a treat. Who now dares to grumble that his in-game substitutions are too little, too late? Southgate brought on Cole Palmer and Ollie Watkins in the closing moments of this game when extra time beckoned, changes that gave the team a crucial burst of energy at just the right moment. His two substitutes combined to send England through to the final.
England are on a roll, they have belief and confidence that they can win a match
He had this to say after the game: ‘I think it has to be the best achievement. The way we played… the end is so special for the squad.‘
This is a group that has belief in each other and their manager, that much is clear. Southgate has notched up more records for the footballing history books. England have never before reached a final on foreign soil. It is the first time the team have reached successive finals in the Euros. England have now come from behind in all three knockout ties, the first time they’ve ever done that at a major tournament. The England manager deserves his moment in the sun.
This match at BVB Stadion in Dortmund had everything: terrific goals, pulsating end-to-end action, a controversial penalty decision and last-minute drama. The Netherlands got off to a good start, taking an early lead on seven minutes from a Xavi Simons wonder strike. England were behind for the third successive game but there was no panic. They won a penalty in the 16th minute after the Dutch player Denzel Dumfries fouled Harry Kane in the box. The referee didn’t spot it immediately but awarded the penalty after a VAR review. Kane took the spot kick, sweeping it into the bottom left-hand corner of the net. England were level. The penalty was a little harsh on the Dutch but, let’s be honest, we England fans didn’t care. It was England all the way from there.
Where has this team been? They played with a pace and purpose that hasn’t been seen since the opening minutes of the match against Serbia. Every England player looked full of energy, with Bellingham, Foden and Saka all playing as everyone had hoped they would earlier in the tournament. Foden had a shot cleared off the goal line. How it didn’t go into the net is anyone’s guess. It was 1-1 at half-time but England were on top and by far the better team.
Luke Shaw came on for Kieran Trippier at the start of the second half. The match quickly settled into an edgier affair. England had plenty of the ball but they were finding it hard to break down the Dutch. Slowly but surely the Netherlands came back into the game. They almost scored on 65 minutes, with Pickford having to make a crucial save from a van Dijk effort. It was a warning sign that England had lost momentum. The TV commentators started to talk about the need for attacking substitutions: why wasn’t Southgate making changes? It is a familiar cry when England start to struggle in the second half of matches. Yet Southgate stood his ground and chose to wait.
The England manager finally acted shortly after Saka had a goal disallowed for offside. Foden and Kane made way for Palmer and Watkins in the 79th minute. It proved to be an inspired move. As the 90th minute arrived, Watkins scored the winner, courtesy of a Palmer pass. The rest is history. England are on their way to face Spain in the final in Berlin on Sunday. That’s all that matters. Memories of England’s stuttering performances in the earlier rounds are washed away by the excitement of knowing that they are just one match away from glory.
Spain will present a much tougher challenge than the Netherlands. They are by far the best team in the tournament, and have in their ranks football’s next superstar in 16-year old Yamin Lamal. The Spaniards will start as favourites in the final. But football is a funny game and the best team does not always win. England are on a roll, they have belief and confidence that they can win a match even when they go behind. Could this finally be England’s time after all the years of heartache? Sunday’s final awaits.
Comments