Two extra-time blunders cost England a place in their first major final since 1966, with the Netherlands winning the Nations League semi-final 3-1 in Portugal.
The Dutch will play Portugal – who beat Switzerland 3-1 thanks to a Cristiano Ronaldo hat-trick – in the competition’s inaugural final at Porto’s Estadio do Dragao on Sunday.
England have not won a major trophy, or appeared in an international final, since winning the World Cup 53 years ago.
They took control of the semi-final after 32 minutes in Portugal when the vaunted Matthijs de Ligt felled Marcus Rashford in the box, with the Manchester United forward coolly dispatching the subsequent penalty.
But De Ligt earned redemption with a powerful header to level the game on 73 minutes.
Agony ensued for England – whose fans “embarrassed” the country with their behaviour in the build up to the game – when substitute Jesse Lingard had a goal chalked off for offside following a VAR check.
The game went into extra-time and it was a John Stones error, dwelling on the ball for too long in defence, that allowed the Dutch to take the lead.
With the clock ticking down on England’s hopes, Chelsea’s Ross Barkley also stuttered in possession around his own penalty area, with Promes again the beneficiary as he this time tucked the ball into an open goal.
England will play Switzerland in a third-place play-off on Sunday.
Source : Sky News : http://news.sky.com/story/agony-as-blunders-cost-england-place-in-nations-league-final-11736447