An all-action start to England’s Euro 2024 semi-final against the Netherlands saw the Three Lions recover from an early setback thanks to one of the most controversial refereeing decisions of the tournament so far.
The Netherlands got off to a dream start when Xavi Simons lashed home a seventh-minute opener from distance and England, just like have in every knockout game so far in Germany, found themselves a goal down.
Gareth Southgate’s men have shown no shortage of resilience over the past three weeks and responded to the goal in a positive fashion - albeit perhaps with the help of referee Felix Zwayer.
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Yes, that’s the same referee who has been the subject of plenty of headlines in the build-up to the match in Dortmund, owing to his run-in with Jude Bellingham in 2021, when the England midfielder referenced the German’s previous involvement in a 2006 match-fixing scandal, leading to Bellingham being fined €40,000.
England’s positive response to conceding first saw Harry Kane volley a Bukayo Saka cross over the bar amid a heavy challenge from Denzel Dumfries. On first viewing, it looked like Dumfries’ contact came after the ball had been fired over and a fair attempt to win the ball, but as England players protested, the video assistant referee Bastian Dankert advised Zwayer to consult the monitor.
As is usually the case when a referee heads to the screen, a spot kick was given, with the officials concluding that Dumfries’ contract with the Three Lions skipper was illegal, a decision which baffled many fans and pundits alike.
"England settled themselves down and the Dutch will feel hard done by," said Alan Shearer on BBC Radio 5 Live, while Danny Murphy added that it would not have been given in the Premier League.
Kane would step up and make no mistake from the spot to score his third goal of the tournament and put his side back on level terms.
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