Stoppage time winner sends England into Euro final

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Substitute Ollie Watkins scored a stoppage-time winner to send England deservedly through to their second successive European Championship final on Wednesday as they finally turned on the style to beat Netherlands 2-1 on a memorable night in Dortmund.

“I was just trying to describe, when you score, the emotions that come through your body, but this is just a different feel. And it was slow motion when I was running over to the boys and celebrated. I did not want to get off the pitch at the end because I just wanted to soak it all in because it doesn’t happen often, obviously,” the semi-final player of the match said after the game.

With the match looking set for extra time, Watkins received a pass from fellow sub Cole Palmer and fired a sweet strike into the far corner.

Xavi Simons had brilliantly put the Dutch ahead after seven minutes, with England equalising 11 minutes later with a Harry Kane penalty. Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman criticised the VAR decision and said judgments like that would destroy football.

The outcome of the evening was heartbreak for the Dutch, who have now lost four semi-finals since winning the title in 1988 and were hoping to make the final despite finishing third in their group.