📢 Will the U21 European Championship semifinal between England U21 and the Netherlands U21 be a true spectacle of attacking football? Both teams are in impressive form, setting the stage for a thrilling battle on the pitch. England are renowned for their attacking prowess, while the Netherlands are known for their resilience and ability to avoid defeats. The coaches of both squads will aim to field their best line-ups to gain the upper hand in this crucial showdown.

Head-to-Head

The last official match between the teams took place on 20 November 2019 and ended with a 2-1 scoreline. Let's take a look at the comparative statistics from that encounter (with the Netherlands U21 as the nominal home side):

• yellow cards: 2 vs 3.

📊Statistical preview of official encounters between England U21 and Netherlands U21:

• 6 matches played;
• nominal home team wins – 1, nominal away team wins – 1, draws – 4;
• goals scored – 4 for each side;
• average total goals in the first half – 0.67, in the second half – 0.5;
• average total goals per match – 1.17.

England U21 Team Overview

The team's last official match took place on as part of the UEFA European Under-21 Championship, with Spain U21 as the nominal hosts and England U21 as the nominal visitors. The match ended with a score of 1-3.

Here are the match statistics (England U21 vs Spain U21):

• possession percentage: 43% vs 57%;
• corners: 7 vs 4;
• fouls: 5 vs 10;
• yellow cards: 2 vs 0;
• shots on target: 4 vs 5.

⚪ The English youth team have been delivering impressive results, thanks to their strong attacking play. The "Young Lions" average over three goals per match, highlighting their aggressive style of play. Their recent form, with 7 wins out of 10 official matches, underscores the team's high scoring ability. However, they are also prone to defensive errors, conceding about one goal per game. 

✅ England's Under-21 performance in the group stage was less than convincing, with just one win, one draw, and one loss. Yet in the quarterfinals, they stunned everyone by knocking out Spain, who were clear favorites. The English side seized the initiative from the first whistle and were two goals up by the 15th minute. Despite conceding a penalty just before halftime, they remained focused in the second half and scored a third goal during stoppage time, sealing a 3-1 victory. Special mention goes to goalkeeper James Beadle, who made four crucial saves and fully justified the coaching staff's trust in him, even after a less-than-stellar group stage performance.

Netherlands U21 Team Overview

The last official match for the current nominal visitors took place on in the UEFA European Under-21 Championship, where the nominal hosts were Portugal U21 and the nominal visitors were Netherlands U21. The match concluded with a scoreline of 0-1.

Here are the match statistics (Netherlands U21 vs Portugal U21):

• possession: 26% vs 74%;
• corners: 2 vs 11;
• fouls: 15 vs 10;
• yellow cards: 4 vs 3;
• shots on target: 2 vs 3.

🟠 Netherlands U21 have demonstrated remarkable resilience, avoiding defeat in 26 of their last 27 official matches, earning a reputation as tenacious competitors. Their play is built on a balanced strategy: solid defense combined with effective attacks, resulting in an average of over two goals per game. Considering their previous draw with England (1-1 in 2024) and current form (eight wins from their last ten official games), the Dutch are clearly determined to continue their successful run.

✅ When Netherlands U21 fell to Denmark in the second round (1-2), few could have predicted they'd reach the semifinals. However, they first secured a crucial victory over Ukraine (2-0), advancing from the group stage, and then stunned Portugal in the quarterfinals (1-0), a team that had finished their group stage with a 9:0 goal difference. The match was incredibly challenging: by the 21st minute, they were down to ten men following the sending off of forward Ruben van Bommel (who will miss the game against England), and by the 31st minute, they conceded a penalty, which the opponent missed, hitting the post. With only 26% possession, it seemed the Netherlands would tire out as they spent the entire match defending. Yet, they somehow found the strength to score the winning goal in the 84th minute through Ernest Poku and Ian Maatsen. Now, the key question is whether they have enough physical and emotional resources left for the semifinal?

Prediction on the outcome

H2H:

• number of encounters – 6;
• home team wins – 1, away team wins – 1, draws – 4.

Statistics: England U21 vs Netherlands U21

• matches played in the tournament: 3 vs 3;
• wins: 2 vs 2;
• win percentage: 50% vs 50%;
• losses: 1 vs 1;
• draws: 1 vs 1.

Last 10 matches:

• wins: 7 vs 8;
• losses: 1 vs 1;
• draws: 2 vs 1.

Prediction on the over/under

H2H

• today's home team scores on average - 0.67, the guests - 0.67;
• average Over/Under goals in H2H matches - 1.17;
• both teams scored: overall - 3; at the home team's field - 0.

Statistics: England U21 vs Netherlands U21

• average total in the tournament: 2.75 vs 2.5;
• average total goals scored: 1.75 vs 1.5;
• average total in the 1st half: 0.75 vs 0.5;
• average total in the 2nd half: 1 vs 1;
• England U21: average total at home in the tournament -  0.5;
• Netherlands U21: average total away in the tournament - 1.5;
• last 10 matches (average total): 3.1 (home - 3.33) vs 2.5 (away - 2.5).

• Under 3.5 goals scored in 8 of last 9 Netherlands U21 games (European Under-21 Championship).

Prediction on cards

England U21: Statistics

• season: average Over/Under in the tournament - 1.75; at home - 1.5;
• last 10 matches: average Over/Under - 0.7; at home - 0.5.

Netherlands U21: Statistics

• season: average Over/Under in the tournament - 2, away - 2.5;
• last 10 matches: average Over/Under - 0.8; away - 1.25.

Prediction on BTTS

H2H:

• number of encounters – 6;
• both teams scored all-time - 3 times;
• on the home team’s field - 0 times.

Statistics: England U21 vs Netherlands U21

• number of matches played in the tournament: 3 vs 3;
• number of matches in the season where both teams scored (BTTS): 3 vs 2;
• number of BTTS matches for England U21 at home – 1 (50%);
• number of BTTS matches for Netherlands U21 away – 1 (50%).

Last 10 matches:

• number of BTTS matches: 5 vs 4;
• BTTS matches for England U21 at home – 2 (33%);
• BTTS matches for Netherlands U21 away – 2 (50%).