England and the Netherlands on Wednesday Euro 2024 Semi-FinalsThe Winner is Sunday’s final against Spain.
England, pre-tournament favourites, had only scored five goals in five matches and had wins over Slovakia and Switzerland in the knockout stages, only needing late equalisers to send the matches into extra time. The Netherlands beat Romania 3-0 in the round of 16 and Turkey 2-1 in the quarter-finals to set up a showdown with England.
“We’re here for a reason, Holland is here for a reason and hopefully the strongest team wins,” England midfielder Declan Rice said.
England have never won the Euros, finishing as runners-up in 2020, but the Netherlands won the tournament in 1988.
Follow our live updates from Wednesday’s match in Dortmund:
Half-time: England 1, Netherlands 1
Both teams had chances to score throughout the first half but Harry Kane’s 18th minute penalty cancelled out a fine early strike from Xavi Simons.
This was England’s best showing at Euro 2024, with Phil Foden playing a more active role in England’s attack. England boasted 60% of the ball possession in the first 45 minutes and had seven shots compared to the Netherlands’ three.
Denzel Dumfries’ wild first half
Even after being called for a foul that led to England’s equalising penalty, Netherlands defender Denzel Dumfries remained at the heart of the game, making a crucial clearance on the goal-line and then hitting the crossbar with a header from a corner kick.
Goal! Harry Kane’s penalty makes it 1-1
Kane scored the equaliser in the 18th minute from a penalty after a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) decision determined that Denzel Dumfries had fouled Harry Kane while attempting a shot.
Kane, England’s all-time leading goalscorer, famously did not take a penalty in the quarter-final against Switzerland and missed what would have been an equaliser in the 2022 World Cup quarter-final against France.
GOAL! Xavi Simons gets the early points for the Netherlands
The Netherlands took the lead in the seventh minute when Xavi Simons scored a powerful shot from outside the penalty area after an England pass was misplaced.
Simons, 21, plays for Paris Saint-Germain and spent last season in Germany with RB Leipzig.
England v Netherlands, Euro 2024 semi-final underway
The second leg of the Euro 2024 semi-final gets underway at 9pm local time in Dortmund, with England and the Netherlands competing for a place in Sunday’s final against Spain.
England v Netherlands starting lineup
Defender Marc Guehi missed the quarter-final through suspension but returned to England in place of Ezri Konsa.
England: Jordan Pickford, Kyle Walker, Marc Guehi, John Stones, Kieran Trippier, Declan Rice, Kobe Mainu, Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, Harry Kane (c)
Netherlands: Bad Verbruggen; Denzel Dumfries, Virgil van Dijk (c), Stefan de Vrij, Nathan Aketijani Lijnders, Jerdy Schouten, Xavi Simons; Donyell Malen, Cody Gakpo, Memphis Depay
How to watch the England vs. Netherlands match
England vs Netherlands on Wednesday Fox FoxSports.com or Fubo.
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England vs Netherlands odds
Regular time results:
- Dutch win: +200
- England win: +170
- Draw: +180
move on
- Netherlands: +100
- England: -125
England vs Netherlands predictions
Jim Reineking: Netherlands 2, England 1 – when England’s Inevitable Failure Can England win a major international tournament? They’ve narrowly beaten Slovakia in the round of 16 (winning with two late goals) and Switzerland in the quarterfinals (on penalties). Now, England’s luck will run out on Wednesday against the Netherlands. Led by Golden Boot candidate Kody Gakpo, the Netherlands have been a stronger attacking force than England so far (nine goals to the Three Lions’ five) and that could be the difference between reaching Sunday’s final against Spain.
Jesse Yomtov: England 1, Netherlands 1 (England wins on penalties) – Say what you like about England’s climb to the semi-finals, but they showed incredible determination in both knockout rounds to force extra time against Slovakia and Switzerland with late equalisers. This game should be more open than England’s other matches at the tournament and the English team is expected to be more dangerous in attack.
Tijani Liynders becomes star for Netherlands
25-year-old midfielder Tijani Liynders has been a key player for the Netherlands at Euro 2024. He joined AC Milan last season and made 50 appearances across all competitions for the Italian giants.
Jude Bellingham has a history with semi-final referees
German referee Felix Zweyer has been appointed to officiate the Euro 2024 semi-final between England and the Netherlands in Dortmund, but he previously clashed with Jude Bellingham at the same stadium.
In 2021, when Bellingham was playing for Borussia Dortmund, the England midfielder was fined €40,000 for comments he made about Zweyer after a 3-2 defeat to Bayern Munich.
“There are a lot of decisions that can be made during a match and to put a referee who has fixed matches before in charge of Germany’s biggest game – what do you expect?” Bellingham said at the time.
His comments were in reference to a period in Zweier’s career that he wanted to leave behind.
In 2005, referee Robert Heutzer was sentenced to two years and five months in prison for his role in a major match-fixing scandal that shook German football; Zweier was one of the people who brought the allegations to justice and was also punished.
Zweier was given a six-month ban by the German Football Association (DFB) for accepting 300 euros from Heutzer in exchange for agreeing to make incorrect decisions during matches while he was an assistant referee.
Zweyer took a short break after Bellingham’s comments but then refereed the 2023 Nations League final and the three pre-semi-final matches at Euro 2024.
–Reuters
Has England ever won the Euros?
England have never won the European Championships – their best result came in 2021, when they finished as runners-up after losing to Italy on penalties.
England’s Declan Rice: ‘May the best team win’
Manager Declan Rice has comfortably navigated England’s Euro 2024 semi-final against the Netherlands and believes they have the momentum to beat the Dutch and win their first European Championship.
“It’s business as usual, I don’t put too much pressure on myself or think too much about it,” Rice told England’s Lion’s Den.
“We’re here for a reason, Holland’s here for a reason and hopefully the best team will win. It’s a football game and we feel like we have a lot of momentum on our side,” Rice added.
The statistics underscore Rice’s contribution to England’s performance: he has run 63.9km (39.7 miles) in five matches at the tournament, more than any other player, and he is also ranked fourth in tackles and ball recoveries.
–Reuters
Bukayo Saka, England relax with golf
Bukayo Saka drew praise for his superb hitting in England’s quarter-final win over Switzerland, and then produced another impressive performance in his golfing debut at the weekend, despite his celebrations being marred by an embarrassing fall after he was knocked over by a golf bag.
It may have been beginner’s luck, but Saka, who scored the equaliser against Switzerland and helped England win 5-3 on penalties, shone when England enjoyed a day of golf on Sunday.
“Wow, wow. Best shot of my life,” Saka said after his first shot.
He struck the ball well on his next try but stumbled comically amid rapturous applause, drawing laughter and jeers from his teammates. The distraction might be just what England need ahead of Wednesday’s semi-final against the Netherlands, where they are bidding to reach a second consecutive Euro final.
–Reuters
England players back manager Gareth Southgate
Gareth Southgate is exactly what England need in a leader and he has instilled a sense of unity in a squad that emerged stronger during Euro 2024 and is more motivated than ever, defender Luke Shaw said on Monday.
“He’s really taken us to the next level. Nobody has had the success he’s had recently,” Shaw said at a news conference.
–Reuters
Netherlands disrupts travel to Dortmund
Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman was unfazed by the travel disruptions his team faced on Tuesday, saying his squad was well-rested ahead of Wednesday’s Europa League semi-final against England.
The Dutch football association said the closure of the line meant services were halted, forcing the Dutch to abandon plans to travel by train from their home city of Wolfsburg to Dortmund.
Instead they flew to Dortmund and arrived at their hotel about four hours later than planned.
“There were no problems, I had a rest in the afternoon, I was on the plane for only 30 minutes, then I got to the hotel and can rest well tonight,” Koeman told UEFA in an interview after his pre-match press conference was cancelled due to travel delays.
–Reuters
Where will the Euro 2024 final take place?
The Euro 2024 final will be played on Sunday 14 July at the Olympiastadion in Berlin, a venue that hosted the 2006 World Cup final (where Italy beat France) and the 2015 UEFA Champions League final.
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