
England substitutes click again as Lionesses reach Euro 2025 final
England's Michelle Agyemang, right, celebrates her equaliser (Nick Potts/PA)
England were gifted a penalty late in the second period of extra time and, though Kelly's initial attempt was saved, the Arsenal forward made no mistake with her second opportunity when she emphatically buried the rebound.
Wiegman made just one change from the Sweden victory, handing Esme Morgan her first start of the tournament in place of Jess Carter.
The England boss, speaking before kick-off, said the change was purely tactical and not related to the racist abuse Carter revealed she received during this tournament.
The Lionesses, in solidarity with Carter – who was warmly received when she came on as a late extra-time substitute – had elected against taking the knee before this contest, instead standing, arms linked.
England stood in solidarity with Jess Carter, centre (Nick Potts/PA)
England got out to a bright start, dominating possession, but neither goalkeeper tasted action until just after the 10th minute when Lauren James poked Lauren Hemp's cross straight at Italy's Laura Giuliani.
Alessia Russo then had a chance to fire England out in front, bringing down a ball that Italy had let bounce in their 18-yard box, but flashed wide. It was an opportunity England would rue when Bonansea netted the opener.
The underdogs took advantage when Arianna Caruso got the better of Alex Greenwood then Morgan on the right flank, allowing Martina Lenzini and Sofia Cantore to play a one-two.
Cantore then sent in a cross, which evaded an outstretched Italian boot and looked to graze the thigh of Lucy Bronze before reaching Bonansea, who took her time picking out a spot over the helpless Hampton's left shoulder.
Barbara Bonansea, right, scores Italy's opener (Nick Potts/PA)
James, picked out by Hemp, looked for an immediate reply but Giuliani palmed away the effort.
James was replaced at half-time by Beth Mead and was later spotted icing her foot.
Hampton was called into action to deny Cantore and though a frustrated England applied more pressure in the second half, they still lacked the clinical edge they needed to find the back of the net.
Kelly arrived on the scene in the 77th minute before Bronze had a header cleared off the line, and, with five minutes remaining, Wiegman turned to her young guns, replacing Leah Williamson and Russo with Agyemang and Aggie Beever-Jones.
It paid off in the sixth of seven minutes of stoppage time when – just as it looked like the 'kitchen sink' approach could not possibly pay off again – Agyemang drew the sides level.
Giuliani had just palmed away a cross and the loose ball landed in the perfect position for the alert Agyemang to take a loose first touch but then smash home and force extra time.
England were knocking on the door when Agyemang hit the bar with a deft lob from a difficult angle in the second period of added time.
Another shoot-out was beginning to feel inevitable but England were gifted a chance to close out the contest with a single penalty when Beth Mead was tugged down by Emma Severini.
Up stepped Kelly, who memorably scored the extra-time winner in the Wembley final three summers ago.
Giuliani made the initial stop but the Arsenal forward would not be denied a second chance to write more history for her never-say-die side, burying the rebound and booking England a trip to Sunday's final in Basel.

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Scottish Sun
19 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
History-making Lioness Ella Toone star for biggest stage now she's ready to deliver for England again in Euro 2025 final
But a new star is forming among the Lioness ranks WINNING TOONE History-making Lioness Ella Toone star for biggest stage now she's ready to deliver for England again in Euro 2025 final Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) ELLA TOONE has become the woman for the grandest of stages — and is ready to deliver for England again. The Lionesses star has scored at every World Cup or Euros she has taken part in. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 Ella Toone is ready for England to deliver the trophy in the Euro 2025 final Credit: Reuters Her goal in the 2023 World Cup last-four clash against Australia saw her become the first English player — male or female — to net in a quarter-final, semi-final and final of major tournaments. One of those goals came in the Spain last-eight tie at the Euros three years ago — and she wants to repeat that trick in Sunday's final. Toone, 25, also netted in the Finalissima against Brazil — where the European and South American champions face off — and scored an FA Cup final stunner for her club Manchester United last year. She has bagged in this Euros as well, in the 6-1 win over Wales in the group stage. READ MORE MAN UTD NEWS NOU START Marcus Rashford back with ex-fiancee Lucia Loi as she joins him in Barcelona Asked about her big-stage pedigree, Toone said: 'It's not bad that, is it? 'I feel like I prepare properly for every game and I've had chances in the finals to put the ball in the back of the net and that's what I've done. 'I try not to think too much about that or put any pressure on it. 'I just go out there and do what I can for the team and give my everything, and if a chance falls to me then hopefully I can put it in the back of the net. 5 Toone was used to starring from the bench when the Lionesses last won the Euros Credit: Shutterstock Editorial SUN VEGAS WELCOME OFFER: GET £50 BONUS WHEN YOU JOIN 'It's just about doing my job, on and off the ball, making things happen, creating chances for other people and hopefully there's a chance, like I have in previous finals.' Three years ago, as the Lionesses stormed to home Euros success, Toone was one of those making an incredible impact from the bench. Now, Arsenal star Michelle Agyemang is England's super sub. Lionesses celebrate after bonkers Euro 2025 penalty shootout win over Sweden The striker, 19, saved her side in the quarter-final with Sweden and the last-four win over Italy. Having hardly played or netted in club football last season, she has become a phenomenon on the international stage and will return home to a new level of fame. That is something Toone, now an established starter, went through in 2022 and the Northern lass had some left-field advice for Agyemang. Toone said: 'She might get papped eating a pasty like I did! I'll have to warn her about that. 'Michelle is mad, I would think that she's about 30 years old, she's so mature, she's so humble and she's come into this tournament with freedom and not a worry, not a care. 5 Michelle Agyemang has scored two late equalisers to send England to extra-time in their quarter-final and semi-final Credit: Getty 'She's just gone out there and done what's been asked of her and she's been amazing for us. She's turned up in big moments when we've needed her and she's got a lot of talent and she can do a lot of things that not many players can do. 'Even when she has scored and kept us in games, she's been the same Michelle. I'm absolutely buzzing for her.' The Lionesses have shown their mettle to come back from the brink in Switzerland. While the players have discussed their 'proper England' performances, Toone revealed there have been some incredibly motivational moments from manager Sarina Wiegman. The Dutchwoman guided a team to a final for a fifth straight tournament after winning the 2017 Euros with her native Holland and reaching the 2019 World Cup showpiece. Toone added: 'She's done a few good speeches this camp, I'll give it to her. We had a good one before the Italy game the night before, one that definitely stood out. 'Even though sometimes we have gone a goal down, you still remember the words that she said before the game and it makes you want to go out and put on a performance for the second half as well. 'No matter what Sarina says, you listen because she's reached five major tournament finals so she definitely knows what she's doing.' Wiegman has created a family bond in the Lionesses camp, though there are plenty of parents, siblings and friends here in Switzerland. 5 Sarina Wiegman became the first-ever men's or women's manager to reach five international tournament finals in a row That group enjoyed a pub crawl through Zurich on Friday afternoon, away from the squad, before everyone headed off to Basel for the final. One picture of the families wildly celebrating Agyemang's goal against Italy was shared among the players. It is a scene they are intent on recreating. Toone added: 'It was a nice picture to see, we've sent them on a rollercoaster this tournament and it's nice to see things like that. 'Hopefully we can kick on in this last game and make it a tournament they can remember, too.'


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Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
England must tap into the old lump-it-long, bulldog spirit to slay Spain in the Euro 2025 final, writes IAN HERBERT
There was a brief moment of confusion on the eve of the Lionesses' Euros semi-final against Italy when Sarina Wiegman was asked if she had 'fallen in love' with England and, not entirely understanding why she was being asked, did not come straight out with the most fulsome answer. 'Yes…' she replied, rather falteringly and without elaboration. Wiegman later said it had been a comprehension problem. It can be this way with her. English language and colloquialisms — 'console your team' and 'let the cat out of the bag' — have flummoxed her over the past few years. The question was extremely relevant given the way 'Englishness', in an old-fashioned 1980s football sense, has been the team's watchword here, and referenced by a2 number of the players of how England survived a bumpy road to reach Sunday's final against Spain. Chloe Kelly arrived to speak on Tuesday as the semi-final's player of the match and declared: 'I'm proud to be English.' The theme resurfaced when Keira Walsh was asked about the never-say-die resilience which rescued the team against Sweden in the last eight, then Italy, 30 seconds from time. 'It's a part of being English,' she said. 'What we speak about as a team is that English resilience and we pride ourselves on it.' The FA have gone to great lengths to create a different definition of Englishness in the past 10 years. There is the fabled 'England DNA', dreamt up at St George's Park, about progressive, technical football through all the age groups and, under Gareth Southgate, a more broad-minded, less narrow view of nationhood. But the Lionesses in these past three weeks have reverted to what men's football would call the bulldog spirit: a fighting, never-say-die mentality. 'Do or die' has been the only way, as seen in the dramatic last-eight and semi-final comebacks Some of this fighting spirit has been a necessary product of England's failure to get anywhere near the technical levels they found in the 2022 tournament. Finalists they might be, but they have not played well in progressing the ball up the pitch. 'Do or die' has been the only way. To watch back the two goals England scored in their comeback win against Spain in the 2022 quarter-final is to be reminded of how diminished in technical brio and confidence they seem to have become. But there has also been a profitable reversion to the old England. When her team was being torn apart by France in the opening game, Wiegman told Walsh, the midfield technician, to play longer balls. Against the Dutch, who England rightly expected would press them, Walsh went vertical again in what was the team's best display here. 'It helped us playing longer,' Walsh said. 'It plays to our forwards' strengths. If the way to win is playing one straight pass that's what we're going to do.' Against the weaker Welsh, England played through the midfield. The numbers bear out this reversion to what was once an admired and feared brand of English football. The percentage of England passes sent long has increased from 10.6 per cent at the 2023 World Cup, where they were beaten by Spain in the final, to 13.2 here, Stats Perform data shows. Their number of successful passes which are long is 201 (9.1 per cent) compared with 5.8 per cent at the World Cup and 7.5 per cent at the 2022 Euros. Heading into a final against the best passing team in the world, the principles of scrapping and lumping it seem a good way to win and find sweet recompense for the one-sided 2023 World Cup final. Become engaged in a midfield battle with Patri Guijarro, Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas and it could be a long night. Beautiful though their tiki-taka aesthetic was in the semi-final against Germany, Spain struggled to create scoring chances. A long ball attack on Spain down England's left would put Lauren Hemp up against right back Ona Batlle. Hemp has had the better of that battle during Manchester derbies, when Batlle played for United and Hemp, now at Barcelona, was with City. The key is getting Hemp in behind Batlle to find crosses which can target the 34-year-old Spanish captain Irene Paredes, whose lack of pace can be exploited. England's equaliser against Spain three years ago demonstrated the value of going aerial in this way. A gorgeous left-footed cross by Hemp saw Alessia Russo beat Parades in the air, leaving her flat on the ground as Ella Toone pounced on the dropping ball to score. England won 2-1. There were similarities between that Toone goal and the equaliser against Italy: a cross from even deeper on the right and the ball dropping to Michelle Agyemang to score. England get lots of bodies in the box and have some of the best headers of the ball in this tournament. The potential for this plan to deliver the early goal screams out for 19-year-old Agyemang, the prodigy, to start, though she almost certainly will not. Wiegman bristled when asked on Tuesday if Agyemang, who appeared from the bench in both knock-out games here and changed the course of them, was forcing her to consider her as a starter. 'She's not forcing me,' Wiegman said. 'She's grateful for minutes and been ready for it.' A vital contributor to a more direct approach will be Lucy Bronze — a huge presence in the past month. She got forward down the right for the back-post header against the Swedes. Her decisive penalty in that game confirmed her as the fearless epitome of this resilient England. 'I don't think we've ever negated tactics or anything else that comes with the game with the term 'proper England', Bronze said. 'But we don't want to ever forget we are England — proper England — and if push comes to shove, we can win in any means possible.' Georgia Stanway, another of the pillars of the team, feels the same. 'We've spoken about wanting to be proper England,' she said. 'We want to go back to what we're good at, a traditional style of football in terms of tough tackles, getting back down to our roots.' It has been a rollercoaster ride for this team. Perhaps the most improbable journey to a final. But the chaos of these past weeks has armed them with a psychological edge: a knowledge they are never beaten.