England is into another European
Championship final after its latest dramatic, come-from-behind win that even
took King Charles III on a roller coaster ride.
Ollie Watkins, who came on for captain Harry
Kane in a bold call by England coach Gareth Southgate, scored in the first
minute of stoppage time to earn England a 2-1 win over the Netherlands on
Wednesday and a shot at Spain in the title match.
In the knockout stage at Euro 2024, England has
scored a stoppage-time equalizer through Jude Bellingham before edging past
Slovakia in the last 16 and needed a penalty-shootout to see off Switzerland in
the quarterfinals.
The English are keeping their supporters back
home on the edge of their seats as the men's team moves closer to a first title
since the 1966 World Cup — and that includes its monarch.
“If I may encourage you to secure victory before
the need for any last minute wonder-goals or another penalties drama, I am sure
the stresses on the nation’s collective heart rate and blood pressure would be
greatly alleviated!” the king said in a congratulatory message soon after the
game in Dortmund.
Watkins' goal was fit for a king.
He had only made one previous appearance at Euro
2024 — as a substitute in the group game against Denmark — so it was a surprise
when he was introduced by Southgate in the 80th minute in England’s biggest
match so far.
The gamble paid off.
Fed by another substitute in Cole Palmer,
Watkins took a touch with his back to goal just inside the area and, from a
tight angle, smashed a fierce shot into the bottom corner.
England will play Lamine Yamal and
Spain in Sunday's final in Berlin. It will be the nation's first title match on
foreign soil, having won the World Cup in 1966 and lost to Italy in the Euro
2020 final — both times at Wembley Stadium.
“It’s going to be unbelievably tough – a really
difficult game,” Kane said of the title match, with Spain widely regarded as
the best team at the tournament. “One more game to make history.”