England beat Netherlands to reach U21 Euro final | OneFootball

Harvey Elliott’s brace proved decisive as England’s Under-21s edged past the Netherlands 2-1 in Bratislava to secure their spot in the UEFA U21 EURO final.

England, aiming to defend the title they won in 2023, came out with intent and dominated the opening stages. Elliott was straight into the action, forcing Dutch keeper Robin Roefs into two sharp saves inside the first 20 minutes.

Despite the early pressure, the Netherlands grew into the game and managed to steady things as the first half wore on. Both sides had chances, but the scores remained level at the break.

The deadlock was finally broken just after the hour. A clever bit of play from Elliot Anderson, who split the defence with a well-weighted pass, released Elliott, who calmly slotted the ball past Roefs to give the Young Lions the lead.

But the Dutch weren’t finished. Substitute  Noah Ohio produced a stunning equaliser ten minutes later, spotting James Beadle off his line and firing low from long range into the bottom corner.

With the tie finely balanced, it was Elliott who took matters into his own hands again. Picking the ball up on the left, he drifted past two defenders, cut inside, and buried a left-footed strike into the net - his second of the night and fourth of the competition.

The reigning champions saw out the final stages with composure, booking their place in Saturday’s final, where they’ll face either Germany or France.

For Elliott and Charlie Cresswell - the only two players still involved from the 2023 winning squad - the dream of back-to-back titles is still very much alive.