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The Independent
23 minutes ago
- The Independent
England v Italy live: Chloe Kelly completes miraculous Lionesses comeback to book place in Euro 2025 final
England completed another chaotic comeback to book their place in the Euro 2025 final thanks to goals from substitutes Michelle Agyemang and Chloe Kelly on a famous night in Geneva. The European champions were seconds from exiting the tournament against Italy but a frantic scramble saw Agyemang, the 19-year-old striker, spin and finish low past Laura Giuliani in the 96th minute to force extra-time. And Kelly, who had also helped inspire England's comeback against Sweden in the quarter-finals, completed another turnaround after Beth Mead was fouled in the box and the winger buried the rebound in the 119th minute after her spot kick was saved. The win means England go through to a third major tournament final in a row and they will play either Germany or Spain on Sunday, in what will either be a rematch of the Euro 2022 final or a rematch of the 2023 World Cup final. England suffer major injury blow with Lauren James doubtful for Euro 2025 final Lauren James is a major doubt for England's Women's Euro 2025 final against Spain or Germany after hobbling off at half-time against Italy in the semi-final. "She hurt her ankle," said the England boss Sarina Wiegman. 'I haven't seen her yet. "We'll have to see over the next couple of days. We had to take her off." Jamie Braidwood23 July 2025 05:48 England player ratings vs Italy as substitutes inspire the impossible once again England's substitutes inspired once again to complete an unbelievable turnaround against Italy and book their place in a third consecutive major final at Euro 2025. Here are how the England players rated from their 2-1 semi-final win in Geneva: England player ratings vs Italy as substitutes inspire the impossible once again England 2-1 Italy: Substitutes Michelle Agyemang and Chloe Kelly inspired a stunning England comeback to break Italian hearts Jamie Braidwood23 July 2025 05:46 Chloe Kelly delivers another miracle to extend an unbelievable England trend England, somehow, do it again. The defending European champions are in a third consecutive major final after a second consecutive game where they needed a miracle late rescue. Michelle Agyemang and Chloe Kelly were, once more, the heroes. Whether they can do it one more time is a big question but one that can wait – for tonight. There is an awful lot to fault about this team right now, but not their resolve. They keep going no matter what, which is why they keep getting through round after round of this tournament. It isn't always convincing. It isn't always productive. But it does just keep happening. Chloe Kelly delivers miracle to extend an unbelievable England trend England 2-1 Italy: The Lionesses went behind in the first half only to fashion yet another unbelievable comeback and secure their place in the Euro 2025 final Miguel Delaney23 July 2025 05:45 Oh what a night That actually happened! The Lionesses went through to the Euro 2025 in unbelievable, dramatic fashion as they came from behind to beat Italy in extra time. Chloe Kelly and Michelle Agyemang were the heroes on a famous night in Geneva. Jamie Braidwood23 July 2025 05:43
The Guardian
24 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Sam Docherty exits the game with respect that transcends allegiances
When North Melbourne's Ben Cunnington retired a couple of years ago, he said he has lost the will to compete. After missing a season with a back injury, he then endured nine weeks of chemotherapy. His farewell speech was one of the few times he spoke to the media. He said life had thrown too much at him to obsess over footy any more. But the more life and football threw at Sam Docherty, the more desperate he was to get back. Only now could he properly recognise it for was it was – a kind of stubbornness, a mad optimism bordering on recklessness. Like Cunnington, he eventually realised that there was nothing more to give, and nothing more to prove. 'I'm tired and I'm exhausted,' he said yesterday. 'I've had a few speed bumps along the way.' He had 16 surgeries in his career. He had three knee reconstructions. During Covid, he was diagnosed with stage two testicular cancer. Within a year, it had spread to his lymph nodes, his lungs and his stomach. Like Cunnington, he had months of chemo. When they retire, footballers stand in an auditorium and sniffle their way through their notes. They say things like, 'It goes quicker than you think boys.' Docherty did something different. He thanked his nurses and his psychologist, who were all in the room. He apologised to all the medical staff who'd given him bad news over the years. He said everything he did in football was about making his dad proud. Eddie Docherty was a famous name at the Phillip Island football club. Sam Docherty was on a high-altitude camp, just 24 hours after he'd met his new Carlton teammates, when he was informed his dad had died from a heart attack. He was 53. Docherty played at Carlton through some dire times. He sat through so many crisis meetings. He started again under a lot of new coaches. He always seemed to be playing on blokes who were taller and bigger. It's why he choked up yesterday when he acknowledged Patrick Cripps. They were together through the rebuilds and sackings and thrashings. They were together when everything finally clicked under Michael Voss. 'I hope you get what you deserve in footy,' he told the man who took over from him as captain. In the 2023 semi-final, Docherty was the fulcrum in one of the most significant moments in the club's recent history. Former fitness boss Andrew Russell says it was the most exhilarating 10 minutes he's had in sport, and he was there for four premierships at Port Adelaide and Hawthorn. Docherty had earlier dislocated his shoulder and had it yanked back in. With seconds remaining and the MCG quaking, his young opponent overcommitted, Docherty kept his head, and set up the match-winning goal. In the opening round five months later, as Brisbane played almost flawless football, Docherty twisted awkwardly. He sat out the second half on the bench, hoping it was just a hyperextended knee, and watched his team launch one of the most incredible comebacks in the history of the sport. But by the next morning, the adrenalin had worn off, and the knee had blown up. He was in the car in Brisbane when the doctor called. He'd ruptured his ACL for the third time. True to type, he relentlessly and successfully embarked on an accelerated six-month recovery. The great players all exited the game differently. As Ted Whitten stalked the lane-ways of Footscray on the way to his final game, he was asked how he felt: 'It feels bloody awful,' he said. 'I don't feel very happy at all.' With great reluctance, and not a lot of foresight, Gary Ablett Sr exited with a limp, a leather jacket, and a barely coherent press conference. Nathan Buckley finished on the bench, his hamstring torn, his hands behind his head, his team a functional ruckman short of pulling off one of the great preliminary final heists. Chris Judd exited on a stretcher. Docherty goes out on his terms. As he did the media rounds yesterday, he was backdropped by photos of Carlton champions past. Hawthorn and Geelong fans would contest this, but it would be hard to walk into any football club in Australia and see a better array of talent framed on the walls. By deeds and by force of personality, they are known by their nicknames – Jezza, Big Nick, The Buzz, The Dominator, The Flying Doormat, Sticks, SOS and Diesel. Doc doesn't have their accolades, their flags, their highlights reels. But he retires as universally admired as any of them, a respect that transcends club allegiances, and a mark of both the footballer and the man. The Cats hold the longest current winning streak against another side after 13 wins against the Kangaroos by an average 45 points. It's 30 years since Ted Whitten, blind and dying, did his final lap at the MCG. 'How much longer,' he whispered to his son, 'I'm buggered.' He was just 62. When he died several months later, Les Carlyon paid tribute in The Age. 'If you saw him as a kid, you can still see him in your mind, running hither and thither, always doing something, always looking pretty. When he booted a long drop kick, he would bring both arms to shoulder height, big hands open, like an eagle balancing itself after a rash swoop. There was even grace he in the way he cocked an elbow before whacking someone. As kids, we watched him and saw everything we wanted to be, and everything we never could be.' On Monday night, as part of the Western Bulldogs' celebrations to mark 100 years in the VFL/AFL, Whitten was judged the best player to wear the red, blue and white. He was voted ahead of Marcus Bontempelli, Chris Grant, Gary Dempsey and Doug Hawkins. Carlton's former captain has been an inspiration while overcoming significant challenges on and off the field, but will play his 184th and final game on Thursday night after calling time on his football career. 'It's something that I've chased with you and wanted to have with you for the whole time I've been at the club, and that's all our goal has ever been,' Docherty said to the current Blues skipper. 'Hopefully you get the success you deserve across your career.' 'There's a lot of blood and concussion, and we don't want to see that, but it's a decision that's made right at the very last second,' Port's Travis Boak said on AFL 360. 'I'm not sure what else he could have done.' Steven May's collision with Francis Evans on Saturday night that left the Carlton player concussed and missing a tooth was sent straight to the tribunal and has been referred to by some as the toughest decision the league has been faced with, one that will 'decide the future of the game'. Sign up to From the Pocket: AFL Weekly Jonathan Horn brings expert analysis on the week's biggest AFL stories after newsletter promotion Toby Greene agreed with Boak: 'There's going to be those incidents three or four a year for the rest of time, that's the way the game is.' Any thoughts you want to share? Reply to this email or send your views to fromthepocket@ Which rivalry has the closest all-time win-loss record between the clubs? a) Adelaide v Port Adelaideb) Brisbane v Gold Coastc) Fremantle v West Coastd) GWS Giants v Sydney Answers in next week's newsletter, but if you think you know it, hit reply and let me know. Last week's answer: Which club has the longest current winning steak against Geelong? GWS Giants have won their past four clashes. Congratulations to Jack Delaney, who was first to reply with the right answer. Fremantle keep their heads as Collingwood get the wobbles in close finishes. Sydney player Riak Andrew faces AFL suspension over homophobic slur. Former Sydney player Brandon Jack talks about the underbelly of elite sport, writing his first novel and why he doesn't need to use the word 'masculinity'. The Victorian gambling regulator is considering whether to make an unprecedented intervention in a dispute between the AFL and bookmakers. Reply to this email and drop me a line, or email fromthepocket@ Have a friend who might? Forward this to them, or tell them how to get it.
South Wales Argus
32 minutes ago
- South Wales Argus
Sarah Hunter hails importance of Rugby World Cup heading to her home
The North Shields native will be part of the Red Roses' coaching staff when England take on the USA in Sunderland for the opening match of the tournament on 22 August. With no professional women's rugby team in her home region, Hunter believes the World Cup can play a huge role in inspiring the next generation. "When we look at the World Cup, the success of the team is important, but I guess for myself, but it is also about legacy," she said. 'If we don't grow the game from a grassroots level, and we don't get more people coming into the game, then the international game is not going to keep flourishing. 'Especially in the places where they might not have Premiership teams, they might just need that little bit of exposure and visibility to draw them into the game.' York will also host games in the North East of England, while England's other group stage matches are in Northampton and Brighton. Hunter retired from rugby after playing her final Red Roses game in Newcastle and almost immediately transitioned into coaching. She was supported by the Gallagher High Performance Academy (GHPA), a World Rugby initiative which aims to increase the number of female coaches in elite rugby. It does so by providing workshops and mentors as well as embedding coaches with unions at major tournaments. Sixteen more coaches will be involved in the GHPA at the Rugby World Cup, while Hunter's role is just one of the success stories of the first cohort. It is a journey that would never have started without watching her first England game. She added: 'I didn't even realise England Women had a team until I was 16 and that is because I had to go down to London to watch a game. 'But now that could be a 14 or 15-year-old girl in the North East where they have been taken to go to the Stadium of Light where you've got the Red Roses coming. 'You've got some of the best players in the world and just that inspiration that they might need, that they might not have got otherwise. 'It is going to be a theme as we go through this whole World Cup of what can the players do, what can the teams do to create that lasting legacy in this country but globally as well.' Gallagher is Right Here for Rugby; Right Here for Business; and Right Here for You.
