Danny Lewis, 1 h ago
Two beautiful goals saw Spain come from behind to beat France 2-1 and progress to the final of the UEFA European Championship 2024, while also continuing their status as the only team to win all of their matches this Euros.
Les Bleus hadn’t scored a single goal from open play in 480 minutes at this Euros but took just nine to do so this time around. After Fabián Ruiz had wastefully headed over, his Paris Saint-Germain teammate Randal Kolo Muani was far more clinical as he converted from Kylian Mbappé’s cross. Freed of his mask and against Jesús Navas - the oldest player to feature in a Euros or World Cup semi-final who was also booked 14 minutes in - Mbappé looked eager to impose himself and saw a shot blocked by Nacho Fernández.
It was the youngest player to feature at this stage of those major tournaments that struck the next blow, though, as Lamine Yamal jinked his way away from Adrien Rabiot and sent an audacious strike curling in off the far post. Dani Olmo conjured magical touches of his own a mere four minutes later to find space in the box and drive a shot that went in off Jules Koundé. While France had moments of promise, Spain continued to threaten the most before the break with Ruiz and Yamal both having shots deflected behind.
France were immediately stretched after the restart with Mike Maignan forced to fly out of his box to halt Nico Williams. They also made forays forward of their own and Mbappé saw a shot from a tight angle saved before Navas was forced off injured, while Didier Deschamps made his move with an attacking triple-change shortly after the hour mark. Even so, frustrations continued as Théo Hernández and Ousmane Dembélé were both unable to capitalise on Spanish slip-ups in their own box.
Yamal came agonisingly close to adding a buffer for his side, but Mbappé uncharacteristically smashed his late effort over, while Antoine Griezmann headed over at the very end as Spain comfortably saw out the victory to book their place in Berlin. They do so full of confidence thanks to their recent and historical records, having won their last eight matches and three of the four Euros finals they have competed in. They also inflicted the first defeat from France’s 13 competitive matches since the World Cup final.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Lamine Yamal (Spain)
Max Davis, 5 min ago
England will get the chance to exorcise their UEFA European Championship final demons after a dramatic 2-1 semi-final victory over the Netherlands – courtesy of Ollie Watkins’ sensational stoppage-time strike – set up a date with Spain in Berlin.
Bidding to become just the sixth team to make successive Euro finals after their penalty fiasco at Wembley three summers ago, England took more risks early on, but that policy ultimately granted their opponents a stunning opener. Xavi Simons pickpocketed a labouring Declan Rice and fired into the far top corner from distance, sending the Westfalenstadion’s ‘Oranje Muur’ into ecstasy. An undeterred Harry Kane tested Bart Verbruggen with his own long-range effort before presenting his side a way back into the game when referee Felix Zwayer pointed to the spot following Denzel Dumfries’ high challenge on the Three Lions skipper. England’s all-time top scorer duly buried the spot-kick into the bottom left from 12 yards, sending him ahead of Antoine Griezmann as the top knockout marksman in Euros history and injecting belief into his side.
Phil Foden certainly felt that as he latched onto Kobbie Mainoo’s through ball and dazzled the Netherlands defence, but Dumfries agonisingly toed his effort off the line. Unable to keep out of the thick of the action, Dumfries went up the other end to head onto the bar before Foden channelled his inner Lamine Yamal to shift inside and whip an effort towards the far corner, only for the woodwork to once again keep the scores equal. Memphis Depay’s withdrawal through injury before the break supplied more concern for the Netherlands, who had struggled to deal with an effervescent England throughout the first period.
Ronald Koeman tightened up his midfield for the restart, suffocating England’s control in the centre of the park, and Virgil van Dijk’s testing of Jordan Pickford just beyond the hour mark was evidence that the tide was beginning to turn. England were backed up in their own half for the next 20 minutes, but a foray forward had the ball in the net via Bukayo Saka – although Kyle Walker was marginally offside in the build-up. Consequently, the best of the final moments of normal time went the way of the Three Lions, and Gareth Southgate’s substitutions proved a masterstroke as England snatched victory once again.
Watkins received the ball from Cole Palmer with it all to do, but he spun away from Stefan de Vrij and fired into the bottom corner to send his side through. Southgate’s England looked a different side from the tournament’s previous rounds and were ultimately thoroughly deserving of a place in the final on Sunday. The Netherlands, meanwhile, were unable to replicate their performance from the 1988 Euros where they lifted the trophy here in Germany – the Oranje’s only major honour to date.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Kobbie Mainoo (England)
