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In the searing temperatures here in Bratislava it was Harvey Elliott that had ice in his veins to fire England into back-to-back Under-21 Euros finals.
For a moment it looked like Jude Bellingham’s best friend Noah Ohio, who played for England at Under-16 level and was on the books at Manchester United and Manchester City as a kid, was ready to spoil the day after scoring from 40 yards.
But Carsley said all through a testing group stage that he knows big players will produce big moments and Elliott served up two here to book England’s place in Saturday night’s showpiece finale.
This is an important tournament for Elliott and he is vitally important to Lee Carsley and England as one of only two players in this squad that was part of the victorious 2023 group that was untouchable in Georgia.
That group never conceded a goal and won every game. This group is much changed and has been put under significant duress in this far-from-breezy title defence.
Carsley made just one enforced change to the side that swept Spain aside in the quarter-final, replacing the suspended Tyler Morton with Elliot Anderson in midfield.
Harvey Elliott scored the winner for England as they booked their place in a second consecutive European Championship final
Elliott produced a final solo goal with just minutes remaining to help his side beat the Netherlands 2-1
Lee Carsley’s men will contest Saturday’s final after winning last edition of the competition
That meant back to back starts for Birmingham City’s Jay Stansfield, just reward after his tireless display that Carsley and his staff hailed as ‘outstanding’. Team-mates labelled him a ‘pitbull’ for his relentless press.
England’s plan was obvious from the off here and a clear sign of learning from the group game against Slovenia where they faced similar temperatures: dominate the ball.
In the 33-degree heat Carsley’s players made the Netherlands do all of the early running and they almost had the breakthrough inside four minutes.
Omari Hutchinson, England’s best player in the first half, drove purposefully down the left to attack Dutch right back Neraysho Kasanwirjo, identified as the weak link. It was little surprise to see the full back put out of his misery and hooked at half-time.
Hutchinson beat his man and his low, driven cross found an unmarked Elliott at the back post. His snapshot to the near post was brilliantly saved by the feet of Robin Roefs. It was David de Gea-esque in style.
England kept their foot on the accelerator and Elliott had a second go at Roefs 12 minutes in, this time missing from eight yards out from a Stansfield cut-back.
Roefs spoke in the build-up of just how prepared he was to combat England’s array of stars and he was a man of his word, smothering a James McAtee back heel and putting off Alex Scott late in the half when the Bournemouth man blazed over.
The big story of the half was less Roefs and the Netherlands’ not having a single shot on target and more the heat, sucking the life out of the half and the energy in the stands as many sought refuge in the concourses rather than in their seats.
England were keen to dominate the ball in searing temperatures, learning from their group stage game against Slovenia
There were lengthy periods where the only voices you could hear were those of the players. It made for a lethargic atmosphere.
That changed in a 10-minute spell where Anderson teed up Elliott to open the scoring with a piledriver on his right foot, blowing kisses to his family in the crowd by way of celebration.
But if that one caught the eye substitute Ohio went one better by scoring with his first touch from 40 yards after a miscued touch from Charlie Cresswell and some lax positioning off his line from James Beadle opened the door for the Dutch.
The Oranje rallied from there, buoyed by the fact they could sense frustration creeping into England’s play, only for Elliott, who eventually left in stoppage time to a standing ovation, produced his own Ollie Watkins moment.
Watkins downed the Dutch seniors with a 91st-minute winner in Dortmund 350 days ago and here was Elliott, minute 85, with a weaving run to the edge of the box before drilling into the corner to cap off a brilliant individual display.
Arms outstretched as he soaked up the adulation. Elliott said this was a big summer for him and here he was centre stage playing a starring role to get England to within 90 minutes of back-to-back titles.
