England beat Italy to reach UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 final

Chloe Kelly scores melodramatic precocious victor successful other clip arsenic reigning champions England travel from down to bushed Italy 2-1.

Chloe Kelly scored a melodramatic precocious victor successful extra-time arsenic reigning champions England came from down to beat Italy 2-1 and scope the Women’s Euro 2025 final.

The Lionesses had been connected the brink of elimination connected Tuesday arsenic they trailed to Barbara Bonansea’s first-half onslaught for the astonishment semifinalists Italy successful Geneva.

But aft their singular comeback from 2 goals down to bushed Sweden connected penalties successful past week’s quarterfinal, they pulled disconnected much heroics here.

Michelle Agyemang came disconnected the seat and forced the other play by equalising successful the 96th minute, portion chap substitute Kelly completed the turnaround by pursuing successful to people the victor successful the 119th infinitesimal aft her punishment had been saved.

England’s Chloe Kelly scores their 2nd extremity from a rebound aft her punishment is saved [Stefan Wermuth/Reuters]

Sarina Wiegman’s squad are done to their 3rd consecutive large tourney final. The 2022 European champions caput to Basel for Sunday’s showpiece.

That volition beryllium either a repetition of the 2023 Women’s World Cup final, which they mislaid to Spain, oregon a repetition of the past Euro final, successful which they defeated Germany astatine Wembley – those sides conscionable successful their semi connected Wednesday.

It has been rather a thrust for England, with this triumph pursuing their comeback to bushed Sweden successful the past eight, portion the quality of the decision for Italy was cruel.

Many of their players were successful tears astatine full-time, arsenic the Azzurre – who are ranked 13th successful the satellite and were not expected to travel this acold – fell abbreviated of reaching a archetypal last since the 1997 Euros.

England manager Wiegman made 1 alteration from the quarterfinal triumph connected penalties against Sweden, arsenic Esme Morgan came into the defence successful spot of Jess Carter.

The second had been the people of radical maltreatment during the tournament, which drew a backlash from Wiegman and the England players successful the build-up to this game.

England had the backing of the bulk of the 26,539 assemblage successful Geneva, and they had the momentum successful the opening stages of the match.

However, Italy looked the fresher of the 2 teams. The Azzurre opened the scoring successful the 33rd infinitesimal arsenic the awesome Sofia Cantore reached the close byline earlier delivering a transverse that reached the backmost post.

Italy’s Barbara Bonansea scores their archetypal extremity past England’s Hannah Hampton [Matthew Childs/Reuters]

The Juventus subordinate controlled earlier lashing a changeable into the extortion of the nett from adjacent range.

Alessia Russo and Lauren James came closest for England successful the archetypal half, but Italy held their pb into the break. Wiegman sent connected Beth Mead astatine the commencement of the 2nd half.

Lauren Hemp headed onto the extortion of the net, and an Alex Greenwood long-ranger was punched distant by goalkeeper Laura Giuliani, who was booked for time-wasting with astir 20 minutes inactive to play.

With the timepiece ticking down, the England manager introduced Kelly, followed by Agyemang, 2 players who had already made a large interaction disconnected the seat against Sweden.

Agyemang, the teenage Arsenal forward, replaced skipper and centre-back Leah Williamson successful a wide motion of desperation successful the Lionesses camp.

Italy could person killed the crippled off, but Hannah Hampton made a important treble prevention to contradict Michela Cambiaghi and Emma Severini successful speedy succession astatine a country successful the 86th minute.

That proved to beryllium crucial, arsenic England equalised successful the sixth of the 7 allotted added minutes astatine the extremity of mean time.

Giuliani, having fto thing get past her each evening, failed to clasp an awkward transverse into the container from the England right, and the shot came retired to who took a interaction and blasted in.

England’s Michelle Agyemang scores their archetypal extremity [Stefan Wermuth/Reuters]

Once again, England would person to spell done other time. They present had the momentum, and Giuliani did good to halt a Kelly country going consecutive in, with 108 minutes played.

The singular Agyemang past saw a lobbed effort bushed Giuliani but travel backmost disconnected the crossbar with 4 minutes of other clip remaining.

Penalties loomed, but instead, it would beryllium conscionable the 1 spot kick, awarded erstwhile Mead was pushed implicit successful the country close successful beforehand of the Croatian referee.

Kelly’s effort was saved by Giuliani, but she was connected manus to person the rebound and nonstop England into different final.

Source:

Al Jazeera and quality agencies