Group A: England 4, Netherlands 1 Nothing is impossible for England after their most famous victory at Wembley since the 1966 World Cup final. Beating Holland, the champions of 1988, to reach the quarter-finals of Euro 96 was not entirely unexpected, but sweeping past them amid such a cannonade of goals had surely crossed few people’s minds. As winners of Group A, England now meet Spain, the runners-up in Group B, at Wembley on Saturday for a place in the last four. On last night’s evidence Spain, who have not beaten England in a major tournament since the 1950 World Cup, had better check their defences and try not to think of 1588. Last night two goals apiece from Alan Shearer and Teddy Sheringham simply blew Holland out of the sea of tranquil assumption that had promised both sides that whatever happened at Wembley a place in the quarter-finals was almost secure. In fact, until Patrick Kluivert came off the bench to score 11 minutes from the end Holland were out, with Scotland the unlikely beneficiaries. Poor Scotland; it was ever thus. Kluivert’s goal echoed the long shot from Johnny Rep that frustrated the Scots in Mendoza in the 1978 World Cup after Archie Gemmill’s dribble through the Dutch defences had thrown Ally MacLeod’s team a lifeline. For England, victories seldom come sweeter than this. Last night Terry Venables’s players exorcised the wretched memory of 1993 and the damage done to Graham Taylor’s World Cup chances by the 2–2 draw Holland forced at Wembley in the qualifiers before beating England 2-0 in Rotterdam. Last night Dennis Bergkamp, the scourge of England three years ago, missed chance after chance and Holland were not so much outplayed as outgunned. Shearer, who opened the scoring with a penalty midway through the first half, doubled his goals total for the tournament to four as England added three more in the space of 12 minutes early in the second half. Sheringham not only found the target but set up Shearer’s second goal with a deft, unselfish touch. Paul Gascoigne revelled in everything. Having spent much of the first half being forced deep, he teased the Dutch mercilessly in the second. With Darren Anderton gaining in confidence and Steve McManaman continuing where he had left off against Scotland, running Holland ragged in the process, it was a wonder England stopped at four. It was a pity that Paul Ince should mar things slightly by collecting his second yellow card of the championship for a needless tug on Jordi Cruyff at the end of the first half; he now misses the quarter-finals. David Platt, who replaced him for the last 23 minutes, is lined up to stay in midfield. Despite an uncertain start English optimism rose as early as the seventh minute when Witschge cleared Shearer’s low shot off Holland’s line. Bergkamp was a threat from the start but after 21 minutes the picture changed. An inspired pass from Sheringham released McManaman on the right and the Liverpool man found Ince making a run through the middle. As Ince passed Blind the Dutch captain brought him down. A yellow card for Blind, and then Shearer calmly drove the penalty low past Van der Sar. Holland continued to create chances but miss them. Bergkamp alone might have given them the lead before half-time. Clearly England needed the cushion of a second goal and although Sheringham’s stretching toe-poke drifted wide at the end of the first half a whole pile of cushions lay in waiting. Five minutes into the second half Gascoigne’s corner was perfectly flighted for Sheringham to meet it with a firm nod of the head past Van der Sar. England had lost 2–0 leads to the Dutch at Wembley before now but two was soon to become three, then four. In the 57th minute Gascoigne brushed past Winter on the left and slipped the ball square to Sheringham, who instead of shooting feinted before sending in Shearer for a resounding shot inside the near post. Five minutes later Shearer sent in Anderton for a deflected shot that was well saved by the Dutch goalkeeper only for Sheringham to score England’s fourth from the rebound. Wembley hugged itself, as much in disbelief as sheer joy. The Dutch supporters, as disbelieving, were silent. Even when Kluivert moved on to Bergkamp’s lay-off to score through Seaman’s legs the orange masses managed only a murmur of approval. Not until the result from Villa Park was confirmed did they manage a cheer. England are now second favourites behind Germany to win the tournament. But after last night, when Venables’s players again say they fear nobody, everyone had better start believing it. ENGLAND: Seaman; G Neville, Adams, Southgate, Pearce, Anderton, Gascoigne, Ince (Platt, 68min), McManaman, Sheringham (Barmby, 77), Shearer (Fowler, 77). HOLLAND: Van der Sar; Reiziger, Blind, Bogarde, Seedorf, Winter, R De Boer (Cocu, 74), Witschge (De Kock, h-t), Cruyff, Bergkamp, Hoekstra (Kluivert, 72). Referee: G Grabher (Austria)