Roy Hodgson’s men could not repeat the heroics of Saturday night as England lost 2-1 at Wembley Stadium to Holland.

Jamie Vardy gave the Three Lions the lead just before half-time with a great team goal, however the Dutch responded well in the seconds half as Danny Rose gifted Danny Blind’s team a penalty just after the restart, and Vincent Janssen converted to level the game.

Still, England looked to be the side that would grab the third goal of the game, but a mistake at the back from John Stones led up to Luciano Narsingh scoring the winner 13 minutes from time in a controversial play.

A dull start

England started the game on the back foot, as the hosts were lucky not to have conceded a penalty just six minutes into match. Joel Veltman skimmed Rose on the right wing and into the penalty box, but the Ajax fullback was taken down by Rose inside the penalty box, however the referee pointed for a goal kick.

As the crowd broke out into applause in the 14th minute to remember the great Johan Cruyff, who passed away last week, England were finding it difficult to break down Blind’s Holland team.

A snooze fest

The dull and uneventful half was met with brief interventions of both teams having chances on goal. The Oranje had the first shot on target as Quincy Promes linked well with Ibrahim Afellay, however the striker’s effort from distance was well caught by debutant Fraser Forster.

The Southampton keeper was tested again the 25th minute when Georginio Wijnaldum lost his marker from outside the area, but his shot was well tamed by Forster, and England cleared the resulting corner.

England awake

However the quite atmosphere that had engulfed the stadium was broken in the 40th minute when Vardy gave England the lead after a well-worked team goal from the hosts.

It all started with Daniel Sturridge, who smartly allowed the ball travel to his Liverpool teammate Adam Lallana in space on the right wing. The England number 11 then laid the ball off to a sprinting Kyle Walker, who burst into the penalty box and gifted the ball to Vardy, who had an easy tap in to give England the lead going into half-time.

Vardy swept home the opener (photo: Kevin Quigley)
Vardy swept home the opener (photo: Kevin Quigley)

An entertaining restart

Sturridge could had double England’s lead just two minutes into the second half after the striker was picked out by Walker with a throw in, but Sturridge’s snapshot was easily saved by Jeroen Zoet.

However, it was Holland who had the better start to the second half when the visitors were awarded a penalty in the 49th minute when Rose handled Memphis Depay’s cross inside the penalty box. Janssen stepped up to the spot, and sent Forster the wrong way with an excellent penalty, to level the game up for the Dutch.

The visitors were playing with a newfound confidence as England now looked to lack the concentration just nine minutes into the restart. Ajax starlet Riechedly Bazoer tested Forster from long distance, but the Saints keeper dived low and claimed the ball.

Tactical change for England

Roy Hodgson introduced Nathanial Clyne and Theo Walcott to the game, as Daniel Sturridge and the villain of the night, Danny Rose, went off in the 57th minute. Vardy could had put England in the lead five minutes later when the Leicester City striker fired a strike from distance, but Zoet pulled off a fantastic save to tip the ball over the bar.

Introdicing Walcott to the game allowed England to stretch the Dutch defence and leave gaps open along the back, which nearly worked as Stones picked out the Arsenal winger with a perfect pass, however his shot was well blocked by Daley Blind.

England were starting to replicate the type of performance the Three Lions put in against Germany on Saturday night, stretching the opposing defence with quick passes towards the box.

A controversial goal

However, despite England’s high pressing and fluid football, it was Holland who took the lead in the 77th minute when substitute Narsingh controversially bagged the Oranje’s second goal of the night.

Danny Drinkwater was barged off the ball by Janssen inside his own penalty box, and the AZ striker laid the ball across the face of goal to the PSV winger, who coolly slotted the ball past Forster, to make it 2-1 to the visitors. The England players then swarmed the referee, as they thought Drinkwater was fouled by the strong number 9 in the build up to the goal.

England could not find a late equaliser, and Roy’s men lost their final friendly before the squad for Euro 2016 is announced.

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About the author
Dylan Walsh
Student at the University of Brighton, 20-years-old, Twitter: @dylanwalsh_