‘Lion-hearted’ Dutch to ‘go for it’

The Netherlands feel they have an unexpected opportunity to achieve something special at the European Championship after a gritty comeback to beat Turkey on Saturday and advance to the semifinal. 

Their 2-1 victory in a tension-filled quarterfinal in Berlin has set up a last-four meeting with England in Dortmund on Wednesday and a chance to move closer to reprise their only major tournament success, at the last Euros that Germany hosted in 1988.

"We are going to play two more games, if all goes well," coach Ronald Koeman -- who played in the 1988 winning side -- said after his men put together a determined showing to overcome a halftime deficit against Turkey.

"Nobody expected this. But our mission is not over yet. If you play a semifinal, you also want to reach the final."

Koeman looked to get ahead of himself, however, when asked which country he would like to face in Sunday's final. "I prefer to play against Spain because we have already played against France in the group stage," the coach said.

Then he checked himself: "We have to beat England first."

Koeman will know better than most what it takes to win the tournament, having been part of the side that won it 36 years ago by beating the Soviet Union in the final in Munich.

But this time his side have not had a convincing road to the semis, with the Dutch only advancing to the knockout stage of the tournament as one of the four lucky losers -- the teams finishing third in their group.

"As the Netherlands, we must be proud of our team. We have sometimes been criticised that other countries play more with their heart, but we have really shown a lion's heart," he insisted.

"We had to go very deep," added captain Virgil van Dijk.

Substitute striker Wout Weghorst agreed. "We are close. This is a unique opportunity. We are going for it."