Ollie Watkins' goal with virtually the last kick of the 90 minutes booked England’s place in Berlin on Sunday as they make it to back-to-back European Championship finals.
With the game poised at 1-1, it seems we were due for 30 minutes of extra-time before the sub who was only on the pitch nine minutes, picked up Cole Palmer’s pass. The Aston Villa man turned Stefan de Vrij and drilled a right foot shot by the despairing dive of Bart Verbruggen for the winner.
Bellingham’s brilliant late late goal stopped England from going out against Slovenia in the last 16, while this time it was Watkins’ late strike that delighted the English fans – this goal winning them this sem-final.
England had been consistent up to this point in the tournament – consistently bad – whereas the Dutch have looked both good (against Romania) and bad (against Austria).
Ronald Koeman’s side were second best throughout the first half as England put in their best performance of this European Championship and while the Dutch raised their game in the second half, it was England who came away with the win.
The Netherlands had taken the lead in just the seventh minute with a superb strike by Xavi Simons who had been one of the standout players for the Dutch in the tournament. The assist for the goal could almost be given to Declan Rice who Simons was able to nick the ball off.
The Three Lions only trailed the Oranje for just 11 minutes though. Verbruggen had already been forced into a save from Kane from distance when the England keeper volleyed one over the bar in the 16th minute.
However, Denzel Dumfries – who seemed to be involved in all the action – had attempted to block the volley and he followed through on Kane’s boot. There was a delay of two minutes for Kane to get treatment and for VAR to intervene.
The referee Felix Zwayer awarded a penalty after reviewing on the sideline TV and the England skipper duly dispatched the spotkick to make the game level.
Shortly after the referee was left looking at his goal line technology watch which didn’t buzz to denote a goal after a brilliant run from Phil Foden saw his effort cleared off the line - just about - by the man who had given the penalty away just a few minutes previously.
Both sides then hit the woodwork. Simons’ corner was headed onto the crossbar by Dumfries on the half hour mark and two minutes later Foden curled an effort from 25 yards onto the post.
Foden then forced another save from Verbruggen with a shot from distance but the scoreline remained level at the break.
Ronald Koeman didn’t hang about at half time, introducing Wout ‘Big Man’ Wieghorst up top. That was his second change having lost Memphis Depay to an injury in the 35th minute with Joey Veerman called into action.
The Dutch did pick things up in the second half. van Dijk ran onto a free kick that was allowed to bounce in the area and holding off Walker his effort was on target with Pickford pushing the ball away to safety.
Sake found the back of the net in the 79th minute from Walker’s cross but a correct offside flag against Walker in the build up ruled the goal out.
With the clock ticking over the 90 minutes, Watkins struck to send the Dutch home and England onwards to face favourites Spain in Sunday night’s final.
Netherlands: Bart Verbruggen; Denzel Dumfries (Joshua Zirkzee 90+3), Stefan de Vrij, Virgil van Dijk ©, Nathan Aké; Jerdy Schouten, Xavier Simons (Brian Brobbey 90+3), Tijani Reijnders; Donyell Malen (Wout Weghorst h/t), Memphis Depay (Joey Veerman 35), Cody Gakpo.
Subs not used: Justin Bijlow, Mark Flekken, Matthijs de Ligt, Daley Blind, Micky van de Ven, Jeremie Frimpong, Lutsharel Geertruida, Ian Maatsen, Georginio Wijnaldum, Ryan Gravenberch, Steven Bergwijn,
Booked: Denzel Dumfries (17), Xavi Simons (90), Virgil va Dijk (87)
England: Jordan Pickford; Kyle Walker, John Stones, Addji Guéhi; Bukayo Saka, Kobbie Mainoo, Declan Rice, Kieran Trippier (Luke Shaw h/t); Philip Foden (Cole Palmer 81), Harry Kane © (Oliver Watkins 81), Jude Bellingham.
Subs not used: Dean Henderson, Aaron Ramsdale, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Lewis Dunk, Joseph Gomez, Conor Gallagher, Adam Wharton, Eberechi Eze, Jarrod Bowen, Ivan Toney, Ezri Konsa Ngoyo, Anthony Gordon.
Booked: Bellingham (72), Bukayo Saka (86), Kieran Trippier (90+4)
Sent off: None.
Referee: Felix Zwayer (Germany)
Attendance: 60,926
extratime.com Player of the Match: Ollie Watkins (England)
