Soccer-England teammates sing praises of young saviour Agyemang
GENEVA (Reuters) -England's newest hero Michelle Agyemang had her teammates singing her praises after her last-gasp equaliser saved the defending champions from certain elimination, saying the sky is the limit for the 19-year-old.
Three months after she made her senior team debut, and four years removed from being a ball girl for her now teammates, Agyemang struck in the sixth minute of stoppage time against Italy on Tuesday en route to a 2-1 victory in extra time, the second consecutive game she has saved England at the brink.
The Lionesses meet either Spain or Germany in the final on Sunday.
"She's an unbelievable player and she's got the world at her feet, a young player with a bright future and I'm absolutely buzzing for her," said Chloe Kelly, who smashed home the rebound of her own penalty kick in extra time to secure the victory.
Agyemang is a skilled bulldozer of a striker with a nose for the net and no fear of battling for possession.
"You see it when she comes on," England defender Lucy Bronze said. "Defenders are petrified of her."
"She feels inevitable right now," added captain Leah Williamson.
A ball girl at Wembley for an England World Cup qualifier in 2021, Agyemang made her England senior debut three months ago against Belgium, scoring 41 seconds after she ran onto the pitch, the first of three goals in four caps.
She said being mobbed by her teammates on Tuesday "will live in my heart forever".
"It means the world to me. I'm so grateful," she added. "Four years ago I was a kid just throwing a ball to some of these girls and now I'm playing with them. It's a great opportunity and I'm so happy I am here."
England coach Sarina Wiegman was certainly happy with her youngest Lioness on Tuesday. Agyemang, who also scored a late equaliser in their quarter-final win over Sweden, almost secured the victory in extra time at Stade de Geneve when her cute lob from a tight angle came back off the crossbar.
"She has something special. She's only 19 years old, she's very mature, she knows exactly what she has to do," Wiegman said.
"When we have to go to her as a target player, she keeps the ball really well. Even when you saw her hit the crossbar, that was not just a shot, she was aiming for it. If she continues like this she has a very bright future."
Agyemang's impact in England's two knockout games now has fans wondering whether the teenager will see more of the pitch in the final.
Sunday's match in Basel marks the third consecutive final appearance in a major tournament for England, while Wiegman is the first coach in men's or women's football to reach five consecutive finals.
(Reporting by Lori EwingEditing by Christian Radnedge)
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