The Euro 2024 has already defined its two finalists. Spain, who defeated France 2-1 on Tuesday, sealed their ticket to the title match. While on Wednesday, England pulled off a 2-1 victory over the Netherlands in the last play of the game to become the second finalist.
Reaching the End
The English team arrived at Dortmund's Signal Iduna Park to face Louis van Gaal's "Clockwork Orange". From the first minutes, the team led by Gareth Southgate presented a low intensity game with few actions of real danger to the opponent's goal.
For the Dutch, the game started quietly until they took the lead with a goal from Xavi Simons early in the first half. Later, with the game nearing the first 20 minutes, Harry Kane popped up to level the match. Everything was going smoothly until a foul inside the box gave the Bayern Munich striker the chance to make it 1-1.
From the start of the second half, both teams took the field with the ambition to go for the result. Initially, the physical display of the Dutch seemed better against a British team that only hoped to play on the counterattack with the speed of their wingers.
After the first attacking chances from both sides, the match became evenly balanced until it reached parity in terms of options. Scoring chances were scarce for both teams and both coaches took risks with changes to give the game a boost.
However, despite multiple options, the score did not seem to change until the end of the 90 minutes. It was then, in a seemingly harmless move, that Ollie Watkins appeared with a great shot from half distance to give the English team the definitive 2-1.
Spain 🆚 England
Berlin. Sunday.#EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/f1NqmQfOpO
- UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) July 10, 2024
Repetition
With these results, England and Spain will face each other in the final of the tournament. The British and Iberians will face each other next Sunday, July 14, to define the champion of the tournament of the old continent's national teams. The match will be played at 2:00 p.m. Colombian time at the Berlin Olympic Stadium.
England had to sweat for a place in the final. A slow start, a goal conceded and a momentary equalizer seemed to condemn the English to defeat. However, Ollie Watkins' agonizing goal in the last seconds gave Southgate's team the victory and put them in the final against Spain.
Spain, meanwhile, comes into the final with a calmer demeanor. Luis Enrique's team has shown a mix of experience and youthful exuberance throughout the tournament. Their 2-1 victory over France demonstrated their tactical prowess and ability to control the pace of the game. Spain is seeking its fourth European title, further cementing its position as a dominant force in international soccer.
The final promises a fascinating tactical battle between the two coaches. England's attacking trio of Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling and Bukayo Saka will face a stern test against the Spanish defense led by veterans Sergio Ramos and Aymeric Laporte. In midfield, the duel between England's Jude Bellingham and Spain's young prodigy Pedri could dictate the pace of the game.
