New Delhi: England and the Netherlands are preparing for the first semi-final in Dortmund, with the two teams having one of the fiercest rivals in football history. In the previous edition of the European Championship, England were runners-up, while the Netherlands were knocked out of the final 16.
The first time these two teams met was in 1935 when England won 1-0 in Olympisch Stadion, Amsterdam. Since then, the team have played nine draws, as England have won six games and Netherlands have won seven occasions.
For English football fans, one of the best memories against the Dutch team was their 4-1 win in the Euro ’96. Both Alan Shearer and Teddy Sheringham scored braces, pushing the Three Lions to the quarter-finals.
However, the team’s performance in the nine matches since that spectacular night involves just one win. In the 1988 Euros, Marco van Basten’s hat-trick ensured the Oranje won 3-1 against an English side that lost all three games of the tournament. The Netherlands would go on to win the championship that year.
In 1994, Netherlands and England were in the same group for World Cup qualifying. The Dutch team’s 2-0 win over the Three Lions ensured that the latter failed to qualify for the World Cup, only the third time the team failed to do so.
Making their fifth semi-final appearance in the European Championship, the team arrived at the elimination stage third-placed behind France and Austria in their Group. Despite their shaky group stage performances, the Oranje team are two games away from their second Euro championship.
Their group-stage results weren’t consistent. They won 2-1 against Poland and played a goalless draw against France before losing their final group game 3-2 to Austria. Despite how the scorecard may show the result, Austria and France’s hald were constantly threatened by the Dutch players. Against Austria, Netherlands levelled the goals twice before Marcel Sabitzer sealed the Austrian fate.
Netherlands picked the pace against Romania, ending the match with 3-0. However, they faced criticism for their goal-scoring frequency. Against Turkey, Netherlands went into half-time trailing 1-0. In the second half, the Dutch team made a strong comeback, scoring two goals within just six minutes.
The English side have lacked the flair that they usually play with. It is a team full of superstars who have struggled in all the five games they have played in the tournament. Their only win on the group stage came against Serbia in their opening game. They drew two games to top their group stage. In the Round of 16, they were out of the game for the full 90 minutes. They won the game with two goals in the extra time. Their performance was expected to get better in the quarter-finals. They drew the game 1-1 after Bukayo Saka, a leveller, within five minutes of the Swiss goal. In the Penalty shootout, they won 5-3 to make their fourth semi-final appearance in the tournament.
The two teams have played in different forms in the elimination round. With just two games between them and the trophy, both teams will bring out their harshest competitive sides. History favours the Netherlands slightly, but England have been running on a series of good luck and resilience.
As the two sides gear up for their 23rd meet, here’s a look at the rivalry that the two sides have built over the years. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
