According to Standard, England’s quest for Euro 2024 glory continues in Dortmund on Wednesday night, where they will face the Netherlands in a semi-final showdown.
Gareth Southgate’s team has had a challenging journey in Germany. After a tense group stage with two draws and a narrow win, the Three Lions narrowly avoided elimination with a dramatic 95th-minute overhead kick from Jude Bellingham against Slovakia. They then advanced to the semi-finals by beating Switzerland on penalties. While there have been signs of progress and undeniable talent on the pitch, England fans are hoping for a less nerve-wracking performance with a final berth at stake.
The Netherlands have also faced their own hurdles. They finished third in their group after a loss to Austria, comfortably defeated Romania in the last-16, and had to come from behind to overcome Turkey in the quarter-finals. Ronald Koeman’s team was not widely expected to go far in the tournament, yet they find themselves in their first Euros semi-final in 20 years. Both teams have benefitted from being on the more favorable side of the draw. The crucial question now is: who will take the final step to Berlin?
Netherlands vs. England is scheduled for an 8 PM BST kick-off on Wednesday, July 10, 2024, at BVB Stadion Dortmund.
Ronald Koeman has stuck with the same starting line-up for the Netherlands’ knockout games, but there are some uncertainties. Steven Bergwijn’s spot on the right wing is under threat from Jeremie Frimpong and Donyell Malen, who scored twice in the last-16. Wout Weghorst remains a key substitute. The Dutch have used a fluid 4-2-3-1 formation, with Xavi Simons supporting Memphis Depay, and Cody Gakpo posing a significant threat from the left. Nathan Ake is likely to continue at left-back, and Joey Veerman may push to replace either Tijjani Reijnders or Jerdy Schouten in midfield.
For England, questions persist about Southgate’s tactics, both when the team is level and when they are ahead. A switch to a three-man defense against Switzerland was not a major shift, but Luke Shaw’s return from injury suggests he could start, providing balance on the left. Harry Kane is expected to recover from cramp, though there are calls for him to be dropped due to recent quiet performances. Marc Guehi is available after a one-game suspension and is likely to start, despite Ezri Konsa’s impressive performance in his absence.
Neither team has any suspensions for the game, and yellow cards have been wiped, ensuring no player will miss the final due to bookings accumulated during the tournament.