How the Netherlands shut down England’s midfield – and made Watkins the perfect substitution

“We tend to remember brilliant stories by their happy endings. Ollie Watkins coming on in the 81st minute last night, with Englanddrawing 1-1 in the semi-finals of the European Championship against the Netherlands, to score a 90th-minute winner will be carved into the memories of English fans for years. Yet, the lead-up to a climactic finish is sometimes the building block to a jovial ending; Cinderella’s story isn’t only about marrying the prince. Watkins’ strike put England into their second final in the past three tournaments under the management of Gareth Southgate, and his introduction of the Aston Villa centre-forward made complete sense considering the way the match developed. …”
NY Times/The Athletic
NY Times/The Athletic: Ollie Watkins, Cole Palmer and an England goal that was worth the wait (Video)