England get boost ahead of Euro semi as captain Williamson trains
Williamson limped off with an ankle injury late in Thursday's dramatic quarter-final victory over Sweden which was decided by a penalty shootout.
Although there had been questions around Williamson's fitness, England defender Esme Morgan had said the team were "very optimistic Leah will be fine."
Jess Carter, who on Sunday announced she would be stepping back from social media after she was the target of racist abuse, also trained.
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Straits Times
13 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Supporting Carter amid racist abuse has brought England closer, Stanway says
GENEVA - England midfielder Georgia Stanway said supporting teammate Jess Carter amid the racist abuse she has received has strengthened the bond between the players ahead of their Euro 2025 semi-final against Italy on Tuesday in Geneva. Defending champions England squeaked through to the semis after a penalty shootout on Thursday against Sweden, but the past two days have been dominated by talk about racism in football after Carter, who is Black, revealed she has been the target of abuse since the tournament began. "If anything, it's brought us together as a team," Stanway told a press conference on Monday. "We need to cut it out of society. We need to cut it out of football. Right now, all we can do is show our support and our togetherness." Asked whether she would consider not playing Carter on Tuesday, England coach Sarina Wiegman said the 27-year-old defender is ready to perform and compete. "That says a lot about her and the team," Wiegman said. "We have had a conversation. It's a hard situation but Jess is a very strong person, she wants to move on too, but she and we felt we had to address this, we can't let it go." There was concern around the fitness of captain Leah Williamson after she limped off with an ankle injury against Sweden, but the defender trained on Monday. "She really wants to play, she did everything to recover as good as possible, and she has, she trained today, and if she recovers well she is available tomorrow," Wiegman said. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Subsidies and grants for some 20,000 people miscalculated due to processing issue: MOH Asia At least 19 killed as Bangladesh air force plane crashes at college campus Singapore ST Explains: What does it mean for etomidate to be listed under the Misuse of Drugs Act? Business Why Singapore and its businesses stand to lose with US tariffs on the region Singapore NTU to have compulsory cadaver dissection classes for medical students from 2026 World US authorities probing passenger jet's close call with B-52 bomber over North Dakota Singapore Jail for man who conspired with another to bribe MOH agency employee with $18k Paris trip Singapore New research institute will grow S'pore's talent in nuclear energy, safety Wiegman denied a suggestion that England, who are making their sixth semi-final appearance of a major tournament, are the favourites. "I think it would be really disrespectful to Italy to think we are the favourites. They made the semi-final like we did, it's impressive for any team to make the semis," said Wiegman, who has won the past two European championships, as coach of the Netherlands in 2017 and in 2022 with England. "Complacency is the biggest mistake any team could make," she added. "We've seen how they've played. I don't think there's any way we could think we are the favourite. We have to be at our very best to win the game." While England have traditionally taken the knee before kickoff as a symbolic gesture against racism, they have made the decision to remain standing on Tuesday. "It's just to change it up," Stanway said. "We felt like the knee was just a little bit repetitive. It comes to a point where the knee isn't doing what we wanted it to do, so now our decision is to stand and hopefully that will bring up more conversation." REUTERS
CNA
13 minutes ago
- CNA
Supporting Carter amid racist abuse has brought England closer, Stanway says
GENEVA :England midfielder Georgia Stanway said supporting teammate Jess Carter amid the racist abuse she has received has strengthened the bond between the players ahead of their Euro 2025 semi-final against Italy on Tuesday in Geneva. Defending champions England squeaked through to the semis after a penalty shootout on Thursday against Sweden, but the past two days have been dominated by talk about racism in football after Carter, who is Black, revealed she has been the target of abuse since the tournament began. "If anything, it's brought us together as a team," Stanway told a press conference on Monday. "We need to cut it out of society. We need to cut it out of football. Right now, all we can do is show our support and our togetherness." Asked whether she would consider not playing Carter on Tuesday, England coach Sarina Wiegman said the 27-year-old defender is ready to perform and compete. "That says a lot about her and the team," Wiegman said. "We have had a conversation. It's a hard situation but Jess is a very strong person, she wants to move on too, but she and we felt we had to address this, we can't let it go." There was concern around the fitness of captain Leah Williamson after she limped off with an ankle injury against Sweden, but the defender trained on Monday. "She really wants to play, she did everything to recover as good as possible, and she has, she trained today, and if she recovers well she is available tomorrow," Wiegman said. Wiegman denied a suggestion that England, who are making their sixth semi-final appearance of a major tournament, are the favourites. "I think it would be really disrespectful to Italy to think we are the favourites. They made the semi-final like we did, it's impressive for any team to make the semis," said Wiegman, who has won the past two European championships, as coach of the Netherlands in 2017 and in 2022 with England. "Complacency is the biggest mistake any team could make," she added. "We've seen how they've played. I don't think there's any way we could think we are the favourite. We have to be at our very best to win the game." While England have traditionally taken the knee before kickoff as a symbolic gesture against racism, they have made the decision to remain standing on Tuesday. "It's just to change it up," Stanway said. "We felt like the knee was just a little bit repetitive. It comes to a point where the knee isn't doing what we wanted it to do, so now our decision is to stand and hopefully that will bring up more conversation."
CNA
2 hours ago
- CNA
I struggle to comprehend 'social media poison' says Farrell
Former England captain Owen Farrell says he does not understand the social media "poison" that often surrounds top level sport and that contributed to him walking away from international rugby after the 2023 World Cup. The 33-year-old was named by his father, British & Irish Lions coach Andy Farrell, as captain for Tuesday's match against a First Nations & Pasifika XV in Melbourne, after joining the tour as replacement for the injured Elliot Daly. He has not played a test since stepping back from national duty in November 2023 to prioritise his mental health, before joining French side Racing 92, returning to Saracens in June. "I understand times are different and things catch fire quicker. Things grow legs, take a life of their own, go wherever they go and there's momentum behind them. But no, I don't always understand it," Farrell told reporters on Monday, when asked about the online discourse. "Both are a poison... the good and the bad. Not to say that it's all bad, but the things that should matter to me and should matter to us as players are the people that matter to us." Racist abuse online forced England women's footballer Jess Carter to step away from social media on Sunday, with the defender saying she had been a target since Euro 2025 began. Farrell previously spoke out against social media abuse when he condemned the online vitriol faced by England flanker Tom Curry during the 2023 World Cup after he accused a South African opponent of abusing him during a match. "I guess the people I think we should listen to are the proper rugby people, your mates. Not that those people will just pat you on the back," Farrell said. "You have people who will tell you where it is at the same time, but they will give you a real answer. If you do that and you are in a good place yourself, then you can deal with it."
