OLLIE Watkins converted a game-winning goal as England pulled off a 2-1 victory over the Netherlands in the semifinals round of Euro 2024 on Wednesday night (Thursday in the Philippines) at the BVB Stadion Dortmund in Dortmund, Germany.
Coming in as a replacement for team captain Harry Kane in the 81st minute, Watkins took a touch with his back to goal just inside the area and drilled his shot into the bottom corner in the 90+1 minute.
“Unbelievable. I’ve been waiting for that moment for weeks,” said Watkins. “It’s taken a lot of hard work to get to where I am today. I got the opportunity and took it with both hands.”
The Netherlands took an early lead in the finals as Xavi Simons drove forward and converted a shot into the far corner from outside the area in the seventh minute.
England, however, knotted the score at 1-1 as Kane slotted home a penalty kick in the 18th minute from a foul committed against him by Netherlands’ Denzel Dumfries.
This is England’s second consecutive Euro final appearance after losing to Italy in 2020. They will battle Spain in a one-game finale on Sunday night (Monday in the Philippines) in Berlin, Germany.
“It’s going to be unbelievably tough – a really difficult game,” Kane said of the championship match with Spain. “One more game to make history.”
In Copa America, Colombia secured their place in the championship round after a 1-0 beating of Uruguay in the semifinals round at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA.
Jefferson Lerma served as the difference maker for Colombia as he knocked down a close-range hit in the 35th minute to surge his team ahead for good.
Colombia will next face Argentina in the gold medal round on Sunday (Monday in the Philippines), while Uruguay will compete with Canada for the bronze medal a day earlier./PN
