Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
DORTMUND, Germany — Ollie Watkins says he is a realist. He has never pictured himself playing at a major tournament for England. That was especially the case when as a teenager learning his trade as a striker he was sent on loan to English sixth-tier club Weston-super-Mare in 2015. So imagine what went through Watkins' mind when he saw his stoppage-time shot fly past Netherlands goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen and into the bottom corner to earn England a place in the European Championship final? Watkins says "I don't think I've hit a ball that sweet before" after England's 2-1 victory over the Dutch in the semifinals on Wednesday. Watkins is suddenly the toast of England.
