'The English Savior' Watkins, the indescribable thrill'"Emotions'
Jul 11, 2024
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The English national soccer team, led by head coach Gareth Southgate, came from behind to win 2-1 against the Netherlands in the Euro 2024 semifinals at BVB Stadion Dortmund in Dortmund, Germany on the 11th (Korea time).
Watkins replaced England star striker Harry Kane (Bayern Munich) in the 36th minute of the second half when the score was 1-1.
Watkins received a forward pass from Cole Palmer (Chelsea) in extra time in the second half. He dug into the right side of the penalty box. The shooting angle was not expected to come out, but Watkins boldly hit the opposite post. The ball passed between the defender's legs and was inserted at the farthest point of the goal, beyond the reach of the goalkeeper.
England made it to the final.
Watkins told ITV after the game that "I've been waiting for this moment for weeks. It took a lot of effort to get here. I'm so happy."
Watkins foresaw a goal.
He said "I'm not really lying, Palmer set me up today and said I'm going to score a goal. It's the best feeling ever."
Watkins said "There was a lot of criticism, but we came all the way to the final. That's important and that's all. We have a rebound. If you fall behind, you can cheer up more," he said, expressing confidence.
England scored the first goal in the seventh minute of the first half. But 11 minutes later, he got a penalty. Kane scored a penalty.
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England Captain Kane also enjoyed the victory.
Kane said "We think preparation is important. Our team is a well-prepared team. You can play for just five minutes, or even a minute, at a critical moment, but that makes a difference. You can also win the tournament. Watkins waited. I've been patient. Watkins was excellent. He deserves it."
Meanwhile, Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) expressed dissatisfaction with the penalty decision.
As reported by 'The Sun', after the match Van Dijk "I don't know what to say. I don't know what to say about this"I was confused.
Van Dijk said "The game is over. It is a difficult situation to accept."
VanDijk "At some point, it should have been decided against us. In some cases, this was not the case. I don't know what to say and it's hard to accept," he repeatedly stressed.
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Coach Koeman said, `What should I do with the defender. This is not a penalty kick. Dumfries tried to block the ball, but his shoes hit him. Such VAR decisions ruin football, he claimed.
Dumfries put his foot out to block Kane's shot. Dumfries is slightly late. After the shot was made, Dumfries' soles took pictures of Kane's feet and ankles. It was not initially declared a foul, but after VAR confirmation, the referee declared a penalty.
dhhan@sportschosun.com
