Euro 2024: England plays the Netherlands aiming for back-to-back European finals

DORTMUND, Germany (AP) — England can reach back-to-back European Championship finals when it meets the Netherlands in Dortmund in the second semifinal. The winner plays Spain in Sunday’s final. Kickoff is at 9 p.m. local time (1900 GMT). Here’s what to know about the match.

Match facts

— Both teams conceded the opening goal in their quarterfinals before coming back to win, with England beating Switzerland in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw and the Netherlands winning 2-1 against Turkey.

— After a win on penalties in his 100th game in charge of England, coach Gareth Southgate defending his often-cautious tactics as the kind of “streetwise” style successful teams use. The backlash from England fans, including some who threw plastic cups at him after a group-stage game, is “quite difficult” to deal with, he added.

— The Netherlands will be by far the highest-ranked team England has faced after group games with Serbia, Denmark and Slovenia, followed by knockout games with Slovakia and Switzerland.

— The referee for the game is Felix Zwayer, who once had ties to a match-fixing scandal in Germany. England midfielder Jude Bellingham was fined 40,000 euros ($43,400) in 2021 while playing for Borussia Dortmund for criticizing Zwayer.

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— The Dutch endured some travel disruption on the way to Dortmund on Tuesday when their scheduled train journey from Wolfsburg was canceled because of what the team said was a “blockage” on the line. The squad had to fly instead, meaning the Netherlands’ news conference with Ronald Koeman and defender Nathan Aké was called off.

Team news

— England has relied on the right-footed Kieran Trippier at left wing back, but his tendency to cut inside has meant England has made little use of the left wing all tournament. Left-footed Luke Shaw came off the bench against Switzerland for his first minutes since February after injury. Shaw says he’s fit to start against the Netherlands if Southgate picks him, and the coach said Tuesday he had a tough decision to make.

— Southgate has to choose whether to stick with Ezri Konsa in the center of defense after he replaced the then-suspended Marc Guéhi against Switzerland. Guéhi is eligible again.

— There’s scrutiny of Harry Kane’s fitness after the England captain went off with cramp in extra time against Switzerland. Ivan Toney came off the bench and scored one of England’s five successful penalties in the shootout.

— Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman could keep his lineup unchanged for the third game in a row, with Memphis Depay starting alongside Cody Gakpo and Steven Bergwijn up front.

By the numbers

— England has played a full hour more than the Netherlands in the last 10 days, after beating Slovakia in extra time and then Switzerland on penalties. The Dutch wrapped up their wins over Romania and Turkey without needing extra time.

— The Netherlands scored the opening goal in only one of its five games so far at Euro 2024, against Romania in the last 16. England last scored the opening goal against Denmark in the group stage.

— The Netherlands hasn’t reached a European Championship final since it won the tournament in 1988 and was last a semifinalist in 2004.

— England’s first shot on target against Switzerland was Bukayo Saka’s goal to level the score in the 80th minute. One round earlier, Bellingham’s spectacular overhead kick was England’s first shot on target. That came in the fifth minute of second-half added time.

— Gakpo and Spain’s Dani Olmo are the top-scoring players left at Euro 2024 with three goals. What was initially thought to be a fourth for Gakpo against Turkey was instead ruled to be an own-goal. Kane and Bellingham are England’s top scorers with two.

What they’re saying

“I don’t really understand the criticism. What he’s done for the country, for us as players as well, he really took us to the next level ... I’ve got a lot to thank him for because he showed a lot of faith and trust in picking me when he didn’t have to.” — England defender Luke Shaw on manager Gareth Southgate.

“You’re now into that moment of the tournament where it’s what’s possible, what’s achievable rather than what might go wrong. That is different for a player, an athlete.” — Southgate on the mentality shift in the England squad.

“Hopefully it’s us that will have the ball more than England. So it’s more England that’s running. I expect a high intensity game.” — Netherlands defender Micky van de Ven.

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Ellingworth reported from Duesseldorf, Germany.

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AP Euro 2024: https://apnews.com/hub/euro-2024