Ollie Watkinsauthor of the goal that decided the match in the 90th minute Netherlands-Englandwas awarded as man of the match at the end of the match. These are the words of the Aston Villa striker who came on in the 81st minute tonight and decided the game nine minutes later with a perfect diagonal: “Unbelievable, I’ve been waiting for this moment for weeks, it took a lot of hard work and I’m very happy to have had this opportunity, I’m really over the moon. I swear on the lives of my children, I came on with Palmer and when I was substituted 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”.
You always win in the end.
“There is this comeback factor, this desire to never give up. Now we are ready for Spain.”
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 (O), 18′ pen. Kane (I), 45’+1′ st Watkins (I)
Ammonites: Dumfries (O), Simons (O), Bellingham (I), Saka (I), Van Dijk (O)