Three years after losing to Italy, England are back in the final. Southgate’s team beat the Netherlands 2-1 in a comeback and booked their place in Berlin against Spain, which will take place on Saturday evening starting at 9:00 p.m. and will decide the European Championship victory. Leading with a beautiful goal by Xavi Simons after eight minutes, Koeman’s boys were caught up by a penalty (which will be discussed) converted by Harry Kane and then overtaken by a goal by Witkins who, just after the start of second-half injury time, set the final score at 2-1.
At the end of the match, these are the words of the Villans striker who decided the match: “It’s incredible, I’ve been waiting for this moment for weeks, it’s taken a lot of hard work and I’m so happy to have had this opportunity, I’m really over the moon. I swear on my children’s lives, I came on with Palmer and when we were about to make the substitution I said to him: ‘Now we come on and I need you to assist for the goal’. And that’s how it went. There was a lot of criticism but in the end we’re in the final and that’s all that matters.”
Netherlands-England 1-2, the match report
Netherlands (4-3-3): Verbruggen; Dumfries (45’+3′ st Brobbey), De Vrij, Van Dijk, Aké; Schouten, Simons (45’+3′ Zirkzee), Reijnders; Malen (1′ st Weghorst), Depay (35′ Veerman), Gakpo. Technical Commissioner: Koeman.
England (3-4-2-1): Pickford; Walker, Stones, Guehi; Saka (45’+3′ Konsa), Rice, Mainoo (45’+3′ Gallagher), Trippier (1′ st Shaw); Foden (36′ st Palmer), Bellingham; Kane (36′ st Watkins). Technical Commissioner: Southgate.
Referee: Zwayer
Markers: 7′ Simons (PB), 18′ pen. Kane (I), 45’+1′ st Watkins (I)
Ammonites: Dumfries (PB), Simons (PB), Bellingham (I), Saka (I), Van Dijk (PB)