Having overcome an outsider tag to impressively beat Spain in the quarter-finals, defending champions England started on the front foot against the Netherlands, with Elliott seeing a driven effort thwarted by the legs of Robin Roefs.
Lee Carsley’s men continued to look the more threatening of the two sides as the first half progressed, but clear-cut openings came at a premium as both defences held firm in a sun-drenched Bratislava.
Undeterred by the slow-paced nature of the contest, the Young Lions came close to finding a breakthrough on the stroke of HT, only for Jack Hinshelwood’s deflected strike to fly narrowly over the bar.
However, both teams looked to up the ante at the start of the second period, as Tino Livramento saw a promising effort blocked, while at the other end, Ian Maatsen’s powerful long-range strike was superbly parried away by James Beadle.
England deservedly broke the deadlock shortly after the hour mark when Elliot Anderson’s clever through-ball was rifled into the roof of the net by Elliott for his third goal of the tournament.
The Young Lions’ lead didn’t last long, though, as Dutch substitute Noah Ohio latched onto a poor touch from Charlie Creswell, and with his first touch since coming on, curled a brilliant finish beyond an out-of-position Beadle to restore parity.
That piece of quick thinking set up a fascinating final quarter-hour, as both sides went in pursuit of a winner. It duly arrived with four minutes remaining, when Elliott jinked his way past several Dutch defenders before firing a clinical finish into the bottom corner from 18 yards.
Michael Reiziger’s men desperately searched for a late equaliser, but England held firm in the closing stages to move one step away from defending their crown.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Harvey Elliott (England)