In the 90th minute, Watkins turned and scored an impressive goal to help England defeat the Netherlands 2-1 in the semi-finals of EURO 2024.
In the 7th minute, Jude Bellingham lost the ball dangerously. Xavi Simons took advantage of the opportunity to break through, before unleashing a powerful shot. The ball went straight into the top corner of the goal, giving Jordan Pickford no chance to block it.
According to Opta, Xavi Simons’ goal was the earliest goal in a EURO semi-final since Alan Shearer scored against Germany at EURO 1996.
The Netherlands had an early advantage in the semi-finals.
The Netherlands had an early advantage in the semi-finals.
The Netherlands had an early advantage in the semi-finals.
The Netherlands had an early advantage in the semi-finals.
The Netherlands had an early advantage in the semi-finals.
It was not until the 14th minute that England had an answer. Harry Kane fired a shot from quite far away. The ball went low but was blocked by goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen. In the next situation, Kane was kicked in the foot by Dumfries in the penalty area when he finished.
Initially, the referee did not blow the whistle. However, after consulting VAR, Mr. Zwayer decided to award a penalty to England. From 11 meters away, Kane made no mistake to score the equalizer. He has successfully executed all 10 of his recent penalty kicks.
The situation that led to England’s equalizer.
The situation that led to England’s equalizer.
The situation that led to England’s equalizer.
In the 23rd minute, the Dutch goal was in turmoil again. Mainoo made a creative pass for Foden to close in on goal. The Man City star dribbled and fired a shot beyond the goalkeeper’s reach. However, Dumfries was there in time to stop the ball right on the goal line.
Foden missed a chance.
Foden missed a chance.
After the save, Dumfries almost became the hero of the Netherlands. In the 30th minute, the Inter star jumped high and powerfully headed the ball against the crossbar. Immediately, England also had an answer, with Foden’s long-range shot hitting the post.
The first half ended in a draw. England and the Netherlands gave fans an exciting match with many back-and-forth moments, in stark contrast to the lackluster performances of the two teams in previous rounds.
The second half was a slow affair. Fans had to wait until the 65th minute for the first dangerous opportunity. Virgil Van Dijk suddenly rose up and fired a shot from close range, forcing Pickford to make a hard save. In the 77th minute, the Netherlands had more space. Xavi Simons’ volley was on target, but Pickford was still in a good position to catch the ball.
In the 78th minute, the Dutch net shook after Saka’s one-touch shot hit the roof of the net. The referee blew the whistle, refusing to recognize the goal because Walker was offside and had made a cross from the sideline.
Saka regrets the disallowed goal.
Saka regrets the disallowed goal.
Saka regrets the disallowed goal.
When the fans were thinking about extra time, Ollie Watkins suddenly shined with a turn and shot from a tight angle, giving the Dutch goalkeeper no chance to block in the 90+1 minute. Coach Southgate made the right decision when both names he had sent onto the field earlier contributed to the goal to raise the score to 2-1 (Watkins scored, Palmer assisted).
The goal that decided the semi-final.
The goal that decided the semi-final.
The goal that decided the semi-final.
The match at Signal Iduna Park ended in a victory for England. The “Three Lions” will play in their second consecutive EURO final. Their opponents will be Spain, the team with the most convincing performance in this year’s tournament.
The EURO final between Spain and England takes place at 2am on July 15 (Hanoi time).
List of players on the field for the two teams.
List of players on the field for the two teams.
List of players on the field for the two teams.