England are celebrating reaching a second successive European Championship final after Ollie Watkins scored a dramatic last-gasp winner against the Netherlands on Wednesday. Here, the PA news agency looks at the latest from the tournament. Sub pays off Instant impact in the semi-finals ⚽️ Ollie Watkins ? @Vivo_GLOBAL | #EUROPOTM pic.
twitter.com/eFeH78pKj3 — UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) July 10, 2024 England manager Gareth Southgate has been criticised throughout the tournament for his use – or lack of – substitutions, but he certainly got it right on an eventful night in Dortmund. There were nine minutes of a tense semi-final remaining when Southgate made the bold decision to replace captain Harry Kane with Watkins.
The change paid off in remarkable fashion as Watkins combined with another substitute in Cole Palmer to snatch a 2-1 victory in the last minute and book a final date with Spain. The game had been locked at 1-1 since the 18th minute when Kane cancelled out a Xavi Simon’s screamer with a controversial penalty. Watkins said afterwards he had visualised his winner before coming on.
The England hero told ITV: “I swear on my life, on my kids’ lives, I said to Cole Palmer, ‘We’re coming on and you’re going to set me up’ and that’s why I was so happy with Coley. “I knew as soon as he got the ball he was going to play me in.” Southgate feels victory is best yet The England boss celebrated with gusto after the final whistle (Nick Potts/PA) It has.