Having been written off, laughed at, and brushed aside for their inconsistent and uninspiring performances, both the Netherlands and England now stand just one step away from a place in the UEFA Euro 2024 final.
The Dutch needed last-gasp fixes in their quarter-final tie against a brave Türkiye side, while Gareth Southgate’s team needed a penalty shootout to see off an ever resilient Switzerland side to reach the last four.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at what the second semi-final has in store for us.
Also watch: UEFA EURO 2024 Semi-finals preview
The semi-final clash between the Netherlands and England is set to be a compelling encounter, drawing on both teams’ storied histories and contrasting journeys through the tournament.
It’ll be a fascinating contest between a Dutch team who have quietly navigated their way to the semi-finals and an England team who, despite internal and external criticisms, find themselves just one step away from yet another European Championship final.
The Netherlands’ path to the semi-finals has been a mix of resilience and under-the-radar progress. After finishing third in Group D with four points, the Dutch showcased their potential by breezing past Romania in the Round of 16. Their quarter-final clash with Türkiye was a different story, however. It was a gritty affair, with the Oranje scraping through by the narrowest of margins, demonstrating their ability to grind out results even when not at their best.
England’s journey, on the other hand, has been fraught with criticism and underwhelming performances. The group stage was far from convincing, with the Three Lions arguably standing out as one of the biggest underperformers of the tournament. Although performances have somewhat improved in the knockout stages, their play has often been lethargic, uncoordinated, and, at times, seemingly incompetent.
Manager Gareth Southgate has taken the brunt of the criticism, with his team selections and tactical decisions frequently coming under fire. However, it is the individual performances that have provided some solace for England supporters, with Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka, in particular, showing immense quality and determination, often stepping up in crucial moments to lead their team forward.
Looking at their match-ups over the years, in their last five encounters, the Netherlands have dominated with three wins compared to England’s solitary victory. However, it is worth noting that four of these matches were friendlies, and the most recent clash was back in 2019.
The Netherlands are coming into this game with a fully-fit squad and aren’t likely to make too many changes to an XI that is fairly settled. The only change to the side that started the win over Türkiye on Sunday could see Donyell Malen replace Steven Bergwijn.
England and Gareth Southgate have a few issues to deal with. Harry Kane was forced off in extra time on Sunday with an injury, but it seems like he’ll recover in time to keep his place in the starting XI for this crucial encounter. Luke Shaw also made his long-awaited return from injury and will likely be in contention to start.
Moreover, with Marc Guéhi returning from suspension, Southgate will have a big conundrum on his hands, with only one of Guéhi or the impressive Ezri Konsa likely to get the nod to start alongside John Stones on Sunday.
Netherlands
Form (all competitions, most recent first): W-W-L-D-W
Most recent result: Netherlands 2-1 Türkiye, Euro 2024 Quarter-finals
European Qualifying: Finished 2nd in Group B, with 18 points.
England
Form (all competitions, most recent first): W-W-D-D-W
Most recent result: England 1-1 Slovakia (5-3 pens), Euro 2024 Quarter-finals
European Qualifying: Finished top of Group C with 20 points
Both sides have clear strengths and weaknesses, but England can take heart from the fact there has been a gradual improvement in their showings, with Sunday’s performance against Switzerland probably their best of the tournament.
The Dutch, by contrast, were fairly unconvincing against Türkiye, and it took some last-ditch saves from their goalkeeper to keep them in the game.
Looking at the underlying metrics, England still are the best defensive unit in the whole tournament. Add to that the mental strength and resilience their players have shown in the last two games, coupled with the individual quality in the squad, there’s every chance England and Gareth Southgate can book another European Championship final berth.
Netherlands 0-1 England
Goalkeeper: Bart Verbruggen
Defenders: Kyle Walker, John Stones, Marc Guéhi, Denzel Dumfries
Midfielders: Jude Bellingham, Xavi Simons, Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka
Forwards: Harry Kane, Cody Gakpo
Captain: Declan Rice
Vice-captain: Bukayo Saka
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