The Dutch took the lead in the seventh minute thanks to Xavi Simons' flash, and ten minutes later Harry Kane equalized from the penalty spot. After the enjoyable first half, the audience was able to see a much more restrained second half, then Ollie Watkins, who came on as a substitute in extra time, decided the match.
The match started at a particularly fast pace, as expected, the Dutch were somewhat more active. Although there was not much of a situation at the beginning of the match, the Oranje still took the lead thanks to Simons' individual flash, as he ended the action himself with an accurate shot after winning the ball. At a disadvantage, the English switched to a higher gear, and they quickly equalized from 11, as in the previous two elimination matches. The Three Lions guard remained in momentum, coming up with their best performance so far in this continental competition, so they could have turned it around almost immediately, but Foden's close attempt went beyond Verbruggen in vain, the running back Dumfries stopped the ball on the goal line. The Dutch defender then almost became the protagonist in front of the other goal, because he headed the crossbar after a corner on the right.
In the enjoyable meeting, both sides showed a goal-scoring and dynamic game, and although the Dutch actions were also promising, they ran less often, so the islanders not only possessed more of the ball, but were also more dangerous.
Partly thanks to Foden, who was playing football with great enthusiasm, and who twice aimed for the right corner in the minutes before the break, the first hit the outside of the post, and the second was saved by Verbruggen.
Even after the change of half, the English superiority remained, but in this period it turned out to be fruitless, because the game became much calmer, and the teams took fewer risks. The Dutch midfield paid much more attention to stability than in the first half, so the English had no space left to run around the pitch, in many cases only the possibility of a back pass remained. Since the defenses were also in the mud, the goalkeepers had nothing to do. We had to wait almost twenty minutes for the first chance, when after a free kick, Van Dijk shot at the goal with his knee from five meters, but Pickford was on the alert. From the 70th minute, the dice turned, the orange jerseys played football in sterile field dominance, despite this, England was closer to the winning goal, but before Saka's goal, Walker was just off guard.
When it seemed that the semi-final would end in extra time, Watkins unexpectedly decided the match for England, so they can prepare for their second European final in a row.
In the final, which starts at 9:00 p.m. on Sunday, the Spaniards, who are 100 percent at this year's European Championship and top with their three European Championship titles, will await the English, who are preparing for their second final in a row.
Euro semi-final, result:
England-Netherlands 2-1 (1-1)
Dortmund, Signal Iduna Park, 60,926 spectators, led by: Felix Zwayer (Germany)
scorers: Kane (18th, from 11th), Watkins (91st) and Simons (7th)
yellow card: Bellingham (72nd), Saka (86th), Trippier (94th), and Dumfries (17th), van Dijk (87th), Simons (91st)
England: Pickford - Walker, Guehi, Stones, Trippier (Shaw, on break) - Rice, Mainoo (Gallagher, 93), Saka (Konsa, 93) - Bellingham, Foden (Palmer, 80), Kane (Watkins, 80.)
Netherlands: Verbruggen - Dumfries (Zirkzee, 93), van Dijk, de Vrij, Ake - Reijnders, Schouten, Simons (Brobbey, 93) - Malen (Weghorst, on break), Gakpo, Depay (Veerman, 35)
MTI
