Euro 2024 Semi-Finalists: England and Spain Set to Clash in Final

England has advanced to the Euro 2024 final after defeating the Netherlands 2-1. The highly anticipated final match will be played against Spain on Sunday.

In the semi-final match held in Dortmund, Germany, the Netherlands took an early lead in the 7th minute with a stunning goal from Xavi Simons from outside the penalty box.

However, England quickly responded. In the 15th minute, Harry Kane of the English team was fouled by Dutch right-back Denzel Dumfries inside the penalty area while attempting a shot. Referee Felix Zwayer immediately pointed to the penalty spot, and Kane converted the penalty in the 18th minute, leveling the score.

The first half concluded with a 1-1 draw. The second half remained goalless until the 90th minute when Ollie Watkins scored the decisive goal for England, securing their victory and passage to the final.

Netherlands and England’s Euro 2024 Journey to Semi-Finals

The Netherlands competed in Group D of Euro 2024, alongside France, Austria, and Poland. They advanced to the round of 16 with 4 points. In the round of 16, the Netherlands showcased their dominance by defeating Romania 3-0 to reach the quarter-finals. Their journey continued as they overcame Turkey 2-1 in the quarter-finals, securing their spot in the semi-finals as one of the top four teams in Euro 2024.

England, on the other hand, topped Group C with 5 points, which included Denmark, Slovenia, and Serbia, to progress to the round of 16. Their round of 16 match against Slovakia was a close contest, where they equalized in the 95th minute and eventually won in extra time with a goal from Harry Kane, advancing them to the quarter-finals. England then proceeded to defeat Switzerland on penalties in the quarter-finals, demonstrating their resilience and determination to reach the Euro 2024 semi-finals.

The starting lineups for the semi-final match were as follows:

Netherlands:

Bart Verbruggen; Denzel Dumfries, Stefan de Vrij, Virgil van Dijk (captain), Nathan Ake; Tijjani Reijnders, Xavi Simons, Jerdy Schouten; Donyell Malen, Memphis Depay, Cody Gakpo

England:

Jordan Pickford; Kyle Walker, John Stones, Marc Guehi; Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Kobbie Mainoo, Kieran Trippier; Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden; Harry Kane (captain)

Spain Completes Euro 2024 Semi-Final Lineup

Spain became the first team to qualify for the Euro 2024 final after defeating France 2-1 in their semi-final match played the previous day. Held in Munich, Germany, France initially took the lead in the 9th minute with a goal from Kolo Muani.

However, Spain quickly turned the game around with goals from Lamine Yamal in the 21st minute and Dani Olmo in the 25th minute, securing their victory and a place in the Euro 2024 final.

Barcelona player Yamal, still only 16 years old, broke two records previously held by Brazilian football legend Pele. Yamal, who will turn 17 on Saturday, became the youngest player to play in a major tournament semi-final. This record was previously held by Pele, who played against France in the 1958 World Cup at the age of 17 years and 244 days. Yamal also became the youngest player to score in a major tournament, a record also held by Pele, who scored against Wales in the 1958 World Cup at the age of 17 years and 239 days.

BBC Sport commentator Gary Lineker praised Yamal’s performance, stating, “It’s clear who the star of this evening is. A superstar is born.” Former English footballer Chris Sutton commented on Yamal, “The way he plays is so fearless.”

Dani Olmo, who scored Spain’s second goal, now leads the tournament’s top scorer chart with 3 goals. Spain also boasts the most goalscorers in the tournament with 9 different players finding the net, highlighting their diverse attacking threat as they head into the Euro 2024 final against England.

The final match is scheduled to be played on Sunday, July 14th, in Berlin at 22:00 Turkish time.