Hattrick Kane leads England into last 16

Ollie Watkins' 90th-minute winner in England's 2-1 win over the Netherlands in the Euro 2024 semifinal in Dortmund on Thursday night was not only a perfect example of a typical striker's finish, but it also took a huge burden off coach Gareth Southgate as his team was finally able to deliver a much-craved positive performance in the tournament.

It was an incredible finish from Watkins, who came in as a substitute for Harry Kane just ten minutes before that sweet strike, to an evening that began badly for England as Xavi Simons gave the Netherlands an early lead against the run of play in the semifinal in Dortmund.

Watkins received a pass from fellow substitute Cole Palmer, who also came on with him in the 81st minute, with his back to goal in the first minute of stoppage time, turned and fired low into the far corner to leave the Netherlands bewildered.

"I'm lost for words really," said Watkins, the Aston Villa striker. "I don't think I've hit a ball that sweet before, and obviously in such a special moment."

According to Watkins, he had 'manifested' the goal beforehand.

"I said to Cole that we were both going to go on the pitch and he was going to set me up, at half-time," Watkins told reporters.

"It happened, I manifested it and as soon as he turned I knew I needed to make a move. You don't get that opportunity very often so I had to be greedy, I had to take it."

However, unlike Watkins, England coach Southgate might not have manifested taking his side to consecutive European Championship finals as it has rarely been a convincing campaign from this England side.

Thursday's game was an emphatic answer after the criticism heaped on the side for a string of languid showings earlier in the tournament, and sets up a mouth-watering final against a slick-looking Spain, who beat France 2-1 in the other semifinal on Wednesday night.

England had frustrated their followers, looking pedestrian at times in the group phase as well as their knockout games. It was as if they were suffocating at times under a heavy burden of expectation.

Even though there was a contentious VAR call by German referee Felix Zwayer that allowed England to get back in the game through a Harry Kane equaliser from the spot after a brilliant Xavi Simons strike helped the Dutch take an early lead, the individual quality of their players was on full display. They had their opponents pegged back, looking dangerous every time they entered the final third. Phil Foden was exceedingly unlucky not to have England ahead at halftime with some sublime skill but had his effort cleared off the line moments before his long-range effort brushed off the crossbar.

The second period was not as dominant as fatigue set in and the Dutch enjoyed their fair share of possession.

But even then, whenever England moved menacingly forward, a goal looked on the cards.

It was almost to script that they engineered victory just before the final whistle, as Watkins emerged an unlikely hero not long after coming on.

The confidence boost cannot be underestimated, especially as an in-form opponent awaits on Sunday at the Olympiastadion.

When they needed to stand up and be counted, the real England came to the party and, after almost a month of gritty competition, the tournament has two worthy finalists.

Harry Kane helped drag Bayern Munich to a come-from-behind 3-2 win at Wolfsburg on Sunday in new manager Vincent Kompany's Bundesliga debut.

Jamal Musiala put Bayern 1-0 up after 19 minutes but Wolfsburg took the lead with two Lovro Majer goals in the first 10 minutes of the second half.

Bayern were nervy, with Ralph Hasenhuettl's side pouncing on several defensive errors.

A Kane header forced Wolfsburg's Jakub Kaminski into an own goal after 65 minutes and the England captain set up Bayern's third, laying on a pass for Serge Gnabry's 82nd-minute strike.

With 20 minutes gone, Kane, starting his first match since the Euro 2024 final in Berlin, found Sacha Boey on the right flank.

The French defender dribbled past two Wolfsburg defenders and cut the ball centrally for Musiala, who tapped home to open the scoring.

Musiala has six goals in eight games against Wolfsburg, more than any other side.

Wolfsburg were lucky to get away with what appeared to be a handball in the box 10 minutes later, with Kane shown a yellow card for remonstrating with the referee.

Bystanders in the first-half, Wolfsburg burst into life early in the second half, grabbing the lead inside the first 10 minutes.

Boey, who was making just his second start for Bayern since joining in January, went from hero to villain just a minute after the break, bringing down Tiago Tomas in the box.

Majer cooly slotted home, sending Manuel Neuer the wrong way.

The Croatia midfielder hit the post with Neuer flatfooted just a minute later but did not need to wait long for another opportunity, his 55th-minute goal putting Wolfsburg in front.

Patrick Wimmer pressed Kim Min-jae into a mistake, collected possession and advanced on goal, drawing Neuer and laying off for Majer to score.

Kane was crucial in helping Bayern draw level after 65 minutes. The England captain headed a deflected Joshua Kimmich cross goalwards and the ball bounced in off Wolfsburg's Kaminski.

Kane created Bayern's winner with eight minutes remaining, finding Gnabry who booted home from close range.

Bundesliga winners in 2009, Wolfsburg have not beaten Bayern since 2015, a run of 21 matches.

Later on Sunday, promoted St Pauli host Heidenheim in the final match of the round.

England's Declan Rice and Jack Grealish shrugged off their hostile reception in Dublin by scoring both goals in England's Nations League win over Ireland on Saturday and said they have nothing but respect for the opponents they once represented.

Rice played for Ireland at youth level and made three senior appearances for the country before changing his allegiance, a decision which many Irish fans still find hard to accept.

As his every touch was booed by sections of the home support, Rice paid little attention and gave England the lead but chose not to celebrate, and not only because of his time playing for the opposition.

"My nan and granddad on my dad's side of the family are all Irish, they've passed away and are not here anymore so I think to have celebrated would have been disrespectful, I didn't want to do that," Rice told Sky Sports.

"I had such an amazing time playing for Ireland, in the first team, Under 19s, Under 21s, they were great memories that live with me.

"I don't have a bad word to say and I wish them all the best like I do with anyone."

Jack Grealish, who scored England's second goal of the 2-0 win, also represented Ireland at youth level and the atmosphere in the ground came as no surprise.

"It was what me and Declan expected. We have nothing bad to say, we both enjoyed our time (playing for Ireland)," Grealish said to ITV.

"I certainly did, and I have a lot of Irish in my family, so there's no bad blood whatsoever from my side."

Grealish was left out of Gareth Southgate's Euro 2024 squad, but made the most of his recall by interim manager Lee Carsley.

"The summer was one of the worst of my life because you can't not see what is happening in front of you," Grealish said.

"It was difficult but it has given me more resolve to bounce back.

"It meant everything, just going to the fans at the end and hearing them cheer my name."

Carsley, himself a former Ireland international, proved that old habits die hard when he went to sit in the home dugout before realising his mistake.

"I did go down the tunnel and turn right," Carsley said with a smile to RTE.

"As you know, I spent a lot of time on the bench so I know exactly where that is."

Jude Bellingham said it took one of his best-ever goals to dig England out of a huge hole as they escaped a shock Euro 2024 last 16 exit at the hands of Slovakia.

The Real Madrid midfielder's overhead kick deep into stoppage time sent the match into extra-time, before Harry Kane's header secured a 2-1 win for the Three Lions.

England are one of the favourites as they aim to end a 58-year wait for major tournament glory.

But Gareth Southgate's men have been heavily criticised for their sluggish performances in Germany and were seconds away from one of their most embarrassing ever defeats at a major finals.

"It's a feeling that is like no other," said Bellingham of his stoppage-time strike.

"In international football and in knockout football it's an even worse feeling because you're 30 seconds from going home and having to listen to all the rubbish and feeling like you've let a nation of people down.

"In 30 seconds or one kick of the ball everything can change."

Bellingham added that his second goal of the tournament was so treasured because of the difference it makes to the national mood.

"It's so important in terms of today, the mood change if it doesn't happen.

"There's a few nice ones, ones that mean a lot to me personally like my first goals for Birmingham, Dortmund and Madrid, they're always special ones. But it's right up there."

Despite the result, more criticism is set to follow ahead of England's quarter-final showdown against Switzerland.

But Bellingham disagreed his side had again looked uninspired against a team ranked 45th in the world.

"Besides their goal we were pretty good, to be honest," he added.

"We had a lot of control, we got into really good areas, we were really dangerous. We had one or two moments where I thought we could be more clinical but in general I thought it was a good performance from us."

Panama international Amilcar Henriquez has been shot and killed in the country's Colon province, police officials say.

The killing on Saturday was confirmed by Didacio Camargo, press chief for Panama's National Police.

Authorities say the 33-year-old midfielder was leaving his home when a gunman shot him several times. Another two people were wounded. Henriquez was taken to a nearby public hospital, where he died.

President Juan Carlos Varela condemned the killing on his Twitter account and called for authorities in Colon to hunt down those responsible.

Henriquez was a member of Panama's national team and played the last 10 minutes of the most recent World Cup qualifier against the United States last month, a 1-1 draw.

He played his club football for Panamanian giants Arabe Unido and started both legs of their CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal defeat to FC Dallas earlier this year.