Euro 2024: Watkin’s 90th minute strike against Netherlands sends England to final

Ollie Watkins, an England substitute, scored a late winner against the Netherlands to advance Gareth Southgate’s team to the Euro 2024 final, where they will take on Spain.

With nine minutes of normal time remaining, the England captain Harry Kane was substituted by the Aston Villa striker, who made it 2-1 in the opening minute of added time.

Xavi Simons put the Netherlands ahead in the first half with a long-range strike after dispossessing Declan Rice, and Kane equalised from the spot after being fouled by Denzel Dumfries.

It is their second consecutive European Championship final, and the first time England have reached a major tournament final abroad.

Our writers Tim Spiers, Mark Carey, Jacob Whitehead and Seb Stafford-Bloor discuss the main talking points…

Spain are favourites, but don’t underestimate England
So it’ll be England v Spain in Berlin on Sunday to decide the European Championship.

For a start, it’s a rare meeting between the two in a major tournament — they last met way back in Euro 1996 when England won on penalties after a 0-0 draw at Wembley in the quarter-finals.

Who are the favourites? Clearly Spain, they are without doubt the most complete team we’ve seen at the tournament; a vibrant, exciting side with width, creativity, attacking brilliance, a formation and system that works for the players they’ve got and a number of match winners all over the pitch.

But what of England’s chances? Spain will be by some distance the best side they have faced in the competition, but Southgate’s side have improved in every game during the knockout stage, from the inhibited, dull performance when creeping through against Slovakia, to the balanced, functional performance against Switzerland to a very good first-half display against the Dutch and then positive late subs to come on and win the game.

They have momentum, they arguably have just as many match winners in their ranks as Spain, they have players like Phil Foden, Kobbie Mainoo and Luke Shaw coming into form, they now have a formation that works for them and, for their players and their manager, they have belief.

Spain will be favourites, but this improving England team should not be underestimated.