Ollie Watkins emerged as the unexpected hero as England defeated the Netherlands 2-1 to secure their place in a second consecutive European Championship final – and the striker correctly predicted he would score a last-minute winner in Dortmund.
The semi-final seemed destined for extra time, with neither team able to break the deadlock after a Harry Kane penalty equalized Xavi Simons’ stunning goal in an engaging first half.
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However, Gareth Southgate made the bold decision to substitute Kane for Watkins in the 81st minute as England searched for a winner – a move that proved to be a masterstroke from the often-criticized manager.
Watkins instantly troubled the Dutch defense with his added pace and scored the decisive goal in the final minute, outsmarting Bart Verbruggen with an audacious finish to secure the Three Lions’ spot in Sunday’s final against Spain.
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Cole Palmer provided the assist for the stunning last-minute goal, playing Watkins in with a perfectly weighted through ball. The Aston Villa forward revealed that he had predicted the moment before they were both brought on.
‘I swear on my life, my kids’ lives, I said to Cole Palmer, “We’re coming on today and you’re going to set me up”, and that’s why I was so happy with Coley,’ Watkins told ITV Sport shortly after his brilliant moment.
‘I knew as soon as he got the ball that he was going to play me in and you’ve got to be greedy, touch and finish.
‘When I’ve seen it go in the bottom corner… it’s the best feeling ever.’
Asked to describe his emotions, Watkins – who was making only his second appearance of the tournament – added: ‘Unbelievable. I’ve been waiting for that moment for weeks.
‘It’s taken a lot of hard work to get to where I am today.
‘I’m grateful that I got the opportunity and I grabbed it with both hands. I’m delighted, I’m delighted.’
Southgate has faced significant criticism for his cautious approach throughout England’s campaign in Germany, but there’s no denying he made the right substitutions in Dortmund.
‘Look, there’s been a lot of criticism but at the end of the day we’re in the final and that’s all that matters,’ Watkins said regarding the criticism Southgate had faced.
‘Forget all the outside noise, we’re in the final.’
Watkins emphasized the never-say-die attitude and resilience within the England squad as they looked forward to Sunday’s match against Spain.
‘We’ve got that kind of bounce-back factor, going a goal behind, but it seems to kick us into gear and we never give up,’ he continued.
‘We won on penalties, we’ve come from behind. One more game now, one more game.’
