Netherlands 1-2 England: Ollie Watkins' stoppage-time winner sends Three Lions back to EURO final

England are headed back to the final of the European Championship after Ollie Watkins scored the stoppage-time winner to beat the Netherlands at EURO 2024 on Wednesday.

[ MORE: EURO 2024 schedule, bracket ]

The Three Lions, who hadn't looked anything close to their best ahead of the semifinal, put their best foot forward for 90 minutes and will face Spain, winners of six of six games thus far at EURO 2024, in the Olympiastadion in Berlin on Sunday.

It was 1-0 to the Netherlands after just seven minutes, thanks to Xavi Simons' stunning strike from outside the penalty area. Simons took the ball from Declan Rice and charged upfield and fired an arrow into the top left corner, grazing the fingertips of Jordan Pickford on the way by. A signature goal from a player who burst onto the scene at this tournament.

The lead lasted just 11 minutes, though, as Harry Kane first won, and then converted, a penalty to move level with five of players in the Golden Boot race. Kane and Spain's' Dani Olmo each have three goals apiece ahead of the final. The foul, by Denzel Dumfries, occurred on Kane's follow-through after he attempted to strike the ball waist-high but sent it well over the crossbar. Dumfries tried to win the ball with his foot and studs raised and clattered into Kane just after the ball left his foot. Kane had to be inch-perfect with the spot kick as Bart Verbruggen guessed correctly, and he was.

Extra time looked an inevitability once again, for the fifth straight time in a knockout game for England (EUROs and World Cup), until Ollie Watkins took nothing and turned it into a very big something. Cole Palmer played him into the penalty area with a through ball and Watkins ran onto it, but the chance appeared to have gone. Watkins shot anyway, perhaps seeing the narrowest of paths just inside the far post. Shooters shoot, and sometimes they score just because they shot.

Netherlands vs England player ratings

Netherlands vs England highlights, updates, live score: 1-2

Goalscorers: Xavi Simons (7'), Harry Kane (18' - PK), Ollie Watkins (90'+1)

GOAL: Netherlands 1-2 England - Ollie Watkins strikes from an impossible angle in stoppage time

OFFSIDE: Kyle Walker narrowly offside before teeing up Bukayo Saka to take the lead

GOAL: Netherlands 1-1 England - Harry Kane converts with pinpoint precision (18')

PENALTY: Denzel Dumfries fouls Harry Kane on follow-through after shot

GOAL: Netherlands 1-0 England - Xavi Simons scores a stunner from outside the penalty area (7')

Netherlands starting lineup

Verbruggen - Dumfries, De Vrij, Van Dijk, Ake - Scouten, Reijnders, Simons - Malen, Gakpo, Depay

England starting lineup

Pickford - Walker, Stones, Guehi - Saka, Mainoo, Rice, Trippier - Foden, Bellingham - Kane

How to watch Netherlands vs England, stream link and start time

Kick off: 3pm ET, Wednesday (July 10)
Stadium: Westfalenstadion, Dortmund
How to watch on TV, stream in USA: Fox Sports

Netherlands team news, focus

21-year-old Xavi Simons set up two of Gakpo's three goals and has three total assists at EURO 2024. Manchester City's Nathan Ake assisted Gakpo's other goal while playing left back, but it's Denzel Dumfries at right back who continues to provide the width (and the pace) out wide. Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven has been a frequent late-game security sub for Ronald Koeman's side and made an incredible block to deny Turkiye a stoppage-time equalizer in the quarterfinals.

England team news, focus

Marc Guehi is expected to reclaim his starting spot alongside John Stones after he was suspended against Switzerland for yellow-card accumulation, though there remains some mystery over a three- or four-man backline. Kobbie Mainoo started for the second straight game alongside Declan Rice in midfield (Trent Alexander-Arnold started the first two games before Connor Gallagher had his chance in the group-stage finale against Slovenia. From there, the only other question is whether or not Kieran Trippier will remain at left back, or might Southgate gamble and pick Luke Shaw, who played 42 minutes off the bench on Saturday after being out since February due to injury.

Netherlands vs England prediction

In their worst and most desperate moments at this tournament, it was three of England's brightest stars who rose to the occasion and saved the day. They will be buoyed by that, and it'll be back-to-back appearance in the European Champions final for the Three Lions. Netherlands 1-2 England.