England are just a game away from reaching back-to-back finals at the European Championships. Only Ronald Koeman’s Netherlands stand in their way.
The Three Lions have hardly dazzled in Germany this summer, but their ability to produce when it matters most has seen them progress into the last four. There’s been no tactical mastery, while standout individual performances have been far and few between, but players have stepped up in key moments to see England home.
Fixtures against the Dutch are rarities, and Wednesday’s duel will be the first at a major tournament between the two serial underachievers since 1996. England will be aiming to evoke the spirit of ’96 in Dortmund and sail into Sunday’s final, while Koeman’s Oranje, who have improved in the knockouts, and hoping to reach their first Euros final since 1988.
It’s bound to be a contest defined by mere moments, but there will be key duels littered all over the pitch. Here are four England have to win if they’re to triumph at Signal Iduna Park.
The litany of Premier League stars in Koeman’s squad and likely starting XI means we should see several familiar battles in Munich on Wednesday.
There may not be a more crucial one-v-one duel that Bukayo Saka‘s likely match-up against Nathan Ake. Each representing the Premier League’s top two sides over the past two years, the pair have faced off in crunch time.
However, the most memorable battle between the pair actually arrived in an FA Cup tie at the start of 2023. Due to injuries, Saka and Ake have each missed recent league duels between City and Arsenal, so this isn’t a match-up we’ve seen all that much.
Ake dominated the duel in the aforementioned cup tie, with the Dutchman matching Saka physically and refusing to let him pass in one-on-one situations. Ake is an excellent defender, and Saka, who was excellent in the quarter-final victory over Switzerland, will have to be at his very best to overwhelm the City defender down England’s right.
Saka also won’t benefit from the connections established at Arsenal which can see him break in behind an opposing full-back following a swift combination. If he’s to beat Ake on Wednesday, he’ll have to do the heavy lifting himself.
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