Belgian Wellens wins Tour de France stage 15
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England's Kelly grateful for moments like Tuesday after rocky club season
GENEVA :After Chloe Kelly smashed in her own rebound that lifted England into the Euro 2025 final, she struck a casual pose at the corner flag, one hand on the flag, another on her hip, and smiled up at the England fans. Kelly's 119th-minute winner was the punctuation mark on a nervy come-from-behind 2-1 victory over Italy that sends the reigning champions into their third consecutive final of a major tournament. They will play either world champions Spain or Germany on Sunday. Asked where she gets her confidence, Kelly said: "Myself." "The moments when in January I felt like giving up football makes you so grateful for these moments here today, and this makes you enjoy every minute of that," said Kelly, who did her trademark prancing penalty run-up. "I think confidence comes from within, but from around you as well. The players that we stand side by side with on the pitch, give confidence in each other." Back in January, there were doubts the 27-year-old would be in the Euros squad because she was barely playing for Manchester City. She made a public plea to leave City to secure more playing time and improve her odds. Kelly's plea worked as she spent the rest of the season on a successful loan spell with Arsenal, and then signed a permanent deal with the London club. Sunday's final will be the fifth in a major tournament for coach Sarina Wiegman, who said the night felt like a "movie" with 19-year-old Michelle Agyemang striking the equaliser in the 96th minute to send the game into extra time. "It was a little bit dramatic. At the 88th minute, I thought 'We have to score now or we have a problem,'" Wiegman said, laughing. Wiegman heaped praise on Agyemang, who almost scored again with an effort deep into the second half of extra time, but clanged her shot off the crossbar. "She's only 19 years old and she's very mature, she knows exactly what she needs to do," Wiegman said. "When you came into our team late, right before the she's really mature already and brings something different, and that's what she showed today. "That ball she hit against the crossbar - it was spectacular." The one negative on the night was Lauren James limping off with an ankle injury to end the first half. Wiegman said James, who sat on the bench with a bag of ice on the ankle, will be reassessed on Wednesday.
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3 hours ago
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One minute from the dream: Italy coach proud of Euro 2025 performance
GENEVA :Italy coach Andrea Soncin found solace in heartbreak after his side came within one minute of reaching the Euro 2025 final, saying it was an encouraging sign that they came so close before losing 2-1 to England in extra time on Tuesday. "This is something which hurts, but we have to be proud of what has been done," he told reporters. "The fact that we didn't get to the final and we were one minute away is encouragement," he added. Italian midfielder Sofia Cantore told Reuters that Le Azzurre's performance showed the strength and growth of the squad. "I think we made something incredible. Now I'm sad, but we bring with ourselves the thought that we can be strong," Cantore said. The last time Italy reached a Women's European Championship final was 1997. They looked destined to repeat the feat when Juventus midfielder Barbara Bonansea fired home in the 33rd minute at the Stade de Geneve. Italian fans erupted in celebration, with one proudly holding a sign declaring "It is coming home to Rome". But England's 19-year-old substitute Michelle Agyemang had other ideas, equalising in the 96th minute to send the match to extra time and ultimately crush Italian dreams. "There is a lot of regret, we were a minute and a half away from the dream... unfortunately in the final we were tired," Elena Linari told Italian broadcaster RAI. "I am proud of the girls, it is a bitter evening, but also a sweet one," she added. The support Italy received from their fans at the tournament is something Cantore hopes will continue into the future. "The fans now have to stay closer to us, because maybe they are now conscious about our strengths," she said.
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4 hours ago
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Analysis:Super subs save the day again as England go through to Women's Euro 2025 final
GENEVA :Just when England's reign as women's European champions appeared to be coming to an end, their bench cavalry rode to the rescue once more as substitutes Michelle Agyemang and Chloe Kelly got the goals that put them into the Euro 2025 final. Trailing 1-0 deep into second-half stoppage time against Italy in their Euro 2025 semi-final, the defending champions looked beaten, but Agyemang levelled to force extra time and Kelly snatched the winner to seal England's place in Sunday's final in Basel. For the second game in a row, the pair came on and proved decisive, and with Beth Mead also impressing from among the ranks of the replacements, England coach Sarina Wiegman has some welcome selection problems ahead of the decider against either Germany or Spain. Just as she did against Sweden in the quarter-final, Agyemang came off the bench to level, and though that game went to a penalty shootout, this time Kelly needed only the rebound from one late spot-kick to send her side through. Agyemang has been a colossus for England in her substitute appearances to date, providing power, physicality and a nose for goal when they need it most - not bad for a 19-year-old who was a ball girl for an England game at Wembley only four years ago. Kelly's wing work has been equally exemplary, her unshakeable confidence allowing her to persistently create chances and change every game she entered. Their contributions were vital. Italy defended with a mix of heroism, wisdom and cynicism that looked to be enough to see them into the final for the first time since 1997. The Italians had done superbly, making sure their clearances went to a teammate or out to the wings to lessen the danger and they presented the England players with a solid block in the middle, inviting them to shoot from distance. Their strategy of compressing space and denying angled balls behind their defence effectively restricted England's attack, limiting striker Alessia Russo to a handful of touches in the box. The introduction of Agyemang and her combination of skill and physicality gave England a more direct weapon, and with Kelly marauding down the wings, the reigning champions suddenly looked to have a sliver of hope. Italy keeper Laura Giuliani spilled the cross that Agyemang snapped up and converted into an equaliser, and the keeper saved from Kelly's extra-time penalty, but could do nothing to prevent her from steering home the rebound as the super subs struck again to save England. "We're going to make a movie some day! Well, this is a movie, my goodness, it's unbelievable. Here we are again, it's really, really special," an elated Wiegman said, praising her supporting cast for their blockbuster ending.
