Wednesday's briefing: Lionesses do it the hard way while Rangers start with win

Yahoo

23-07-2025

Reigning champions England reached the Euro 2025 final thanks to a dramatic 2-1 extra-time win over Italy in Geneva.
Tributes were paid to European Cup winners Joey Jones and John Fallon, while Russell Martin made a winning start as Rangers boss.
Elsewhere, Crystal Palace took their Europa League fight to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Lionesses leave it late
England produced another remarkable comeback to scrape into the final of Euro 2025.
The Lionesses, who came from two goals down to defeat Sweden on penalties in the quarter-finals, were on the brink of elimination against Italy before 19-year-old striker Michelle Agyemang equalised in the sixth minute of added time.
With a minute remaining in extra time, fellow substitute Chloe Kelly sent Sarina Wiegman's side through by finishing on the rebound after her penalty was saved by goalkeeper Laura Giuliani.
England, who trailed to Barbara Bonansea's 33rd-minute opener, will face Spain or Germany in Sunday's final in Basel.
Football mourns Jones and Fallon
Tributes were paid to former Liverpool and Wales defender Joey Jones and ex-Celtic goalkeeper John Fallon.
Jones, who died at the age of 70, was capped 72 times by Wales and won two European Cups, a UEFA Cup and a league title at Anfield, in addition to representing Wrexham, Chelsea and Huddersfield.
Celtic later announced the death of Fallon – the 12th Lisbon Lion – at the age of 84.
He was the club's sole substitute when Jock Stein's side beat Inter Milan 2-1 in the Portuguese capital to win the European Cup in 1967.
Martin makes winning start
Ibrox roared as Russell Martin's first competitive game as Rangers boss brought an encouraging 2-0 win over 10-man Panathinaikos.
Maiden goals for the Scottish club from 19-year-old winger Findlay Curtis and debutant Djeidi Gassama settled the first leg of the Champions League second round qualifier.
Former Southampton boss Martin, who became the permanent successor to Philippe Clement in early June, could easily have seen his new side fall behind as the Greek visitors bossed most of the first half.
But Curtis fired Rangers into a 52nd-minute lead before his replacement Gassama – signed last week from Sheffield Wednesday – added a thunderous second following the dismissal of Panathinaikos right-back Giorgos Vagiannidis for a second yellow card.
Palace await their European fate
Crystal Palace will learn no later than August 11 which European competition they will play in next season after submitting an appeal to the CAS.
The south London club, who won last season's FA Cup, were demoted from the Europa League to the Conference League after falling foul of UEFA's rules governing multi-club ownership.
European football's governing body determined that as of March 1, American businessman John Textor had control or influence in both Palace and French club Lyon.
Where one or more club are found to have shared ownership, they cannot play in the same competition. Lyon held on to the Europa League spot by virtue of their higher league position, while Palace's place was taken by Premier League rivals Nottingham Forest.
What's on today
England will discover their Euro 2025 final opponents when world champions Spain take on Euro 2022 runners-up Germany in Zurich.