July 6th 2024.
As the Euro 2024 semi-final between England and the Netherlands draws near, Gary Neville, a former England player, has shared his thoughts on the highly anticipated match. With caution, Neville has revealed his prediction for the game, keeping in mind the strong opposition that the Three Lions will face.
Gareth Southgate's England will meet Ronald Koeman's Netherlands in Dortmund on Wednesday night, with a spot in the Euros final at stake. The English side secured their place in the semi-finals after a hard-fought penalty shootout victory over Switzerland in the quarter-finals, where they showed resilience and determination to come back from a goal down.
It was a tense match as the teams were deadlocked at 1-1 after 120 minutes of play. Switzerland took the lead in the 75th minute, leaving England on the brink of elimination. But just like in their previous match against Slovakia, the Three Lions fought back and equalized through a brilliant strike from Bukayo Saka. In the end, it was England's flawless performance in the penalty shootout that saw them through, with Switzerland's Manuel Akanji missing the crucial spot kick.
The task ahead for England is not an easy one, as they will face a strong Dutch side that came from behind to defeat Turkey in their quarter-final clash. Despite Turkey's impressive run in the tournament, the Netherlands showed their quality and determination as they scored twice in the second half to secure their place in the semi-finals.
Speaking about the upcoming match, Neville described it as a "proper game" and acknowledged that facing tough opponents is inevitable in a major tournament like the Euros. He also hinted that an England win may be "written in the stars" as they continue to defy the odds and advance in the competition, despite not playing their best football.
When asked for his prediction, Neville responded with confidence, saying that there is a certain "something" happening in this tournament that makes him believe that England will come out on top. He also pointed out the fortunate circumstances that have led to England's progression, with them only winning one game in 90 minutes out of five so far.
Fellow ex-England defender Joleon Lescott shared Neville's confidence, stating that the team's recent success in penalty shootouts has boosted his belief that they will defeat the Netherlands in the semi-finals.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the draw, France will face Spain after beating Portugal and Germany in the quarter-finals. It promises to be an exciting semi-final lineup, and Neville and Lescott, along with football fans all over the world, will be eagerly waiting to see how it all unfolds.
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