Latest news with #WomensEuros
Daily Mirror
20 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Lioness super-sub Michelle Agyemang gears up for England games by playing piano
Michelle Agyemang has earned her flowers after saving England's Lionesses in two nail-biting knockout matches at the Womens Euros in Switzerland The Lionesses youngest cub, Michelle Agyemang, has been hitting the high notes both on an off the pitch during this Euros 25 campaign. She has become England's saviour, after two nail-biting knockout clashes that rolled on into extra time - both thanks to her rocket shots just seconds before the final whistle. But before the 'humble, down to earth' teenager is unleashed on the pitch, she gets ready to rumble by playing piano in her room. Keen to keep their secret weapon happy, the Lionesses ' kit man had Michelle's piano flown out to Switzerland so she could play in her hotel room. The 19-year-old from South Ockendon, Essex said: "I play the piano, the bass guitar and the drums. I have my piano in my room so I'm spending a lot of time in there just playing and chilling. "I don't think that there's a day that I go without playing it because it's right in front of me. Especially on game days I probably spend about two hours just playing and enjoying myself." Just four years ago, the closest Michelle had been to the Lionesses was working as a ball girl at Wembley. Reflecting on that precious memory, Michelle said: "It was crazy. Seeing the girls so close to my face. "Beth Mead got a hat-trick that day, so to be a part of that experience was invaluable and I'll never forget it." But after catching the eye of Sarina Wiegman while playing in the England youth team, she was called up to stand in for an injured Alessia Russo in a Nations League game against Belgium. In just 41 seconds on the pitch, Michelle scored a sensational debut goal and earned her permanent position as a fearsome Lioness. Following England's record-breaking win over Italy on Tuesday night, Lucy Bronze said of the young cub: "What a tournament from Michelle, especially coming in with the seniors just a couple of months ago. What a great player, what a bright future she's got. She's such a humble, lovely down to earth girl. Honestly couldn't think of a nicer person... What a future the kid's got ahead of her, at 19 she's helping the England team get to a Euros final. I can't imagine her or her family ever dreamed of it." When the final whistle blew sending England fans into a frenzy, modest Michelle was the first to begin consoling the Italian players. And when she went to join her teammates, Beth Mead and Alex Greenwood were seen pushing Michelle towards the stands of euphoric fans singing Sweet Caroline, telling the teenager 'this is for you'. Yet despite her quiet demeanour, Michelle's teammates know exactly how dangerous she can be. When she was called on against Sweden, Chloe Kelly told her 'cause havoc' before she netted the 79th minute goal. And Lucy Bronze described the terror in Italy's eyes after the teenage super-sub was set loose on the pitch on Tuesday. She said: "You see it when she comes on, defenders are petrified of her, coming up against her. She comes on, a defender's played 90 minutes and then they have to come up against Michelle. I sure as hell wouldn't want that to be me. She's so powerful, so aggressive." Heaping the praise on her England and Arsenal teammate, Lioness captain Leah Williamson added: "She's quality. She's a nightmare to play against. I'm glad she's my teammate at Club and Country. She deserves her flowers. I hope she gets them. I hope she enjoys [it], and then I hope she's ready to go at the weekend." Fans have been scrambling for last minute tickets to the must-watch final, which is expected to be a sell out event. And back home millions are set to tune in at home, in pubs and in front of big screens as Euros fever takes over the nation. Both ITV and BBC will be streaming the game, which kicks off at 5pm. It's a ' weird ' feeling for introvert Michelle, who will no doubt be called upon again as England fight to retain their European Championship title. She said: "When I was younger I wasn't really the biggest fan of cameras and stuff around me. It's nice to know that people are interested in the women's game, and in me. Hopefully we go all the way and I can show more of myself to the rest of the world."
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
From ball girl to teenage super-sub: Who is England's Michelle Agyemang?
"Something special" was how England boss Sarina Wiegman described Michelle Agyemang after the Lionesses latest Women's Euros victory. It was the 19-year-old, yet again, who saved England from the brink of elimination. For the second time in two games the young forward scored a decisive goal, this time leaving it as late as to draw the Lionesses level with Italy and take the game to extra time, where England dug deep to avoid another nail-biting penalty shootout and go through 2-1 winners. The achievement is even more impressive when you consider it was only four years ago that Agyemang was a ball girl during England's World Cup qualifier against Northern Ireland in 2021. Back then, it was her first time going to Wembley, and her first real encounter with England's senior national team. Fast-forward to 2025, and it is hard to imagine the without their youngest member. So who is Michelle Agyemang, and how has she risen so quickly through the football ranks? Regular Arsenal and Young Lioness goalscorer Born in South Ockendon, Essex, in 2006, Agyemang grew up as a fan of Arsenal and joined the north London team at the age of six. In 2022, aged 16, she made her debut for Arsenal in a 4-0 win over Leicester City in the Women's Super League. It was around this time that she also started as a Young Lioness, having first been called up to represent her country in the Women's Under-16s squad. She scored an impressive 10 goals in 12 appearances for the WU17s before making the step-up to the WU19s. The call-up from Wiegman In April this year Agyemang was called up to England women's senior squad for the first time. Earlier the same week, she had helped the WU19s qualify for the European Women's Under-19 Championship in Poland. She got her debut in the Lionesses' UEFA Women's Nations League clash against Belgium in Leuven, scoring a stunning goal after just 41 seconds on the pitch. Despite her best efforts, the team lost 3-2, but it was undoubtedly her stand-out performance that secured her a place in Weigman's 23-player squad for Euro 2025 in Switzerland. First senior tournament Agyemang's success on the pitch has continued into Euro 2025. Despite a loss to France in England's first match in the tournament, the team's campaign got into gear with wins over the Netherlands and Wales, which sent them through to the knock-out stages. It was during England's quarter-final showdown against Sweden that Agyemang truly proved her worth, coming off the bench and levelling the game in the 81st minute, England's second goal in three minutes to draw level with the Swedes. And she was at it again in the semi-final. In the 96th minute, with England's hopes fading in the face of fierce Italian resistance, the ball fell to super-sub Agyemang in the box and she sent it flying into the back of the net. And if that wasn't enough, Agyemang almost won the game herself in extra time, hitting the bar with an audacious lob in the 116th minute. Read more: It was Chloe Kelly who won the game in the end, slotting in her follow-up after the Italy keeper Laura Giuliani saved her initial penalty. But in the final, all eyes will be on the youngster Agyemang. "She has something special," Wiegman said of Agyemang. "She's only 19-years-old, she's very mature, she knows exactly what she has to do. "When you talk about little things that she picks up straight away, because she's not only in the 18-yard box very dangerous but when we have to go to her as a target player, she keeps the ball really well too. "Even when you saw her shot 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."
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
How to watch Women's Euro final as England secures place after dramatic comeback
England's Lionesses have secured their place in the 2025 Women's Euros final after a dramatic comeback against Italy. Last night, the team were able to snag themselves a 2-1 victory after spending much of the match lagging 1-0 behind. The comeback began when 19-year-old Agyemang equalised the game during extra time, with the winning goal later being scored by Kelly. Now, England will have to face off against either Spain or Germany in this week's final. If you're planning on watching the major Euros game, here is everything you need to know. When will the 2025 Women's Euro final take place? The final, which will be played between England and either Spain or Germany, will take place on Sunday, July 27, at around 5pm (GMT). Spain and Germany are set to clash tonight (Wednesday, July 23) at around 8pm. Those wanting to watch the two European sides play can do so by switching over to BBC One to view Match of the Day's live coverage of the event. Recommended Reading: England's Jess Carter 'steps back' from social media due to racist abuse in Euros Who is the manager of England's Lionesses? 5 things to know about Sarina Wiegman Defending champions England 'bullied' by France in first match at Women's Euros How to watch the 2025 Women's Euro final in the UK Those wanting to watch the final from the comfort of their own homes will be able to do so by tuning into ITV1 and BBC One from 4pm when pre-match coverage begins. The game will also be available to watch on-demand via streaming platforms ITVX and BBC iPlayer. Kickoff for the match, which is being held in Switzerland, will take place at around 5pm.
BBC News
6 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
BBC Sport scores millions of viewers as Lionesses triumph in nail-biting penalty shootout
England's jaw dropping quarter-final clash against Sweden saw millions flock to BBC Sport on Thursday night, with a peak TV audience of 7.4 million and 8.3 million views of the live text page. The quarter-final match generated nearly 3 million online streams across BBC iPlayer, the BBC Sport website, and the app - with a quarter of those coming from 16–35-year-olds, highlighting strong engagement from younger audiences. On the night, the BBC Sport website's live text page attracted 8.3 million views. So far, total online requests for Women's Euro 2025 content have reached 8.1 million across BBC Sport's digital platforms - a clear sign of the growing audience appetite for the tournament. England's comeback received the biggest TV audience of the competition so far – with a peak audience share of 65% – and means the reigning champions will face Italy in the next round. The gripping quarter-final also drew a significant number of 16–35-year-olds to the post-match analysis with Gabby Logan and the team, with nearly half a million streams on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website by 11pm on Thursday night. Following the match, the Women's Euros became the 4th most-watched programme among under-35s on iPlayer across all genres. Alex Kay-Jelski, Director of BBC Sport, said: "I was biting my nails on the sofa with the rest of the fans. What a win for the Lionesses! We can't wait for Tuesday. We'll be bringing fans closer to the action with full commentary and analysis on BBC Radio 5 Live, the BBC Sport website, and the BBC Sport app." BBC Sport is broadcasting one of the semi-finals along with the final on Sunday 27 July. Every knockout game is available to listen to live on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds. RM4 Follow for more
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
England: Sarina Wiegman has more questions to answer as gamechangers rescue Lionesses at Women's Euros
It tells you everything about this quarter-final that, afterwards, Sarina Wiegman admitted she thought England were going home on at least three separate occasions. England have enjoyed some dramatic and historic nights during Wiegman's tenure, but it is hard to recall one quite like this. Indeed, before Thursday, no team had ever come from two goals down to win a knockout game at a Women's Euros. The manner of England's victory over Sweden made it all the more remarkable. For 70 minutes, Wiegman's side were abject. Slow and off the pace, England could not handle the intensity of the game as they clung on for dear life. In truth, had it not been for Hannah Hampton, this tie would have been over long before the bench came to England's rescue. Wiegman deserves credit for how she changed the game with her substitutes. The Lionesses switched to a back three in defence as they went for broke, and it worked. The substitutes were at the heart of the goals, with Chloe Kelly's brilliant cross headed home by Lucy Bronze. Beth Mead then found Michelle Agyemang and, in the space of two minutes, England had turned the game on its head. After that, anything seemed possible - and the penalty shootout was scarcely believable. To sum up the chaotic nature of it, nine of the 14 spot-kicks were missed. Sweden's goalkeeper, Jennifer Falk, saved three in succession before blasting her own penalty over the bar when presented with the chance to win it. Fittingly, the decisive penalty was scored by Bronze simply putting her foot through the ball and smashing it into the roof of the net. 'That's a quality that is so strong in this team, that togetherness and fighting back,' said Wiegman. 'It shows so much resilience. 'I don't know why but this team is just incredible. They stick together. That is so powerful from this team. Then there is luck as well, yes, at least three times I thought we were out.' England are through, however, and now Wiegman must turn her attention to a semi-final showdown with Italy on Tuesday. The Lionesses will go into that tie as clear favourites, but there are issues that Wiegman must address. Even if England overcome Italy, they will have little chance against the likes of France or Spain in the final if they deliver a performance like this one against Sweden. England's issues were not new. The left side of the defence has been a long-standing concern throughout Wiegman's reign. Three years ago, Rachel Daly - a striker and top scorer in the Women's Super League two seasons ago - was the solution as she filled in at left-back. Sweden, like France before them, targeted the left side of England's defence. Wiegman eventually swapped centre-backs Jess Carter and Leah Williamson round, deploying the latter on the left, but by then England were already 2–0 down. They stick together. That is so powerful from this team. Then there is luck as well, yes, at least three times I thought we were out Sarina Wiegman England looked more solid when they moved to a back three and Wiegman will be tempted to start like that against Italy. Williamson limping off with an ankle injury complicates matters, though, as does Bronze requiring hamstring strapping to finish Thursday's match. Another perennial problem occurred last night, with Keira Walsh swamped in midfield and her influence reduced. The introduction of Kelly and Mead helped as England shifted play wide instead of forcing it through the middle. Both wingers could justifiably start on Tuesday, although Wiegman will be tempted to keep them on the bench. Having such firepower in reserve is a luxury few other sides enjoy. And then, there is Agyemang. Before this, the 19-year-old had played 14 minutes of international football. The Arsenal striker looked at home on the big stage, however, and she caused chaos alongside Russo with her pace and power. As with Kelly and Mead, she has made a strong case to start against Italy - especially if Wiegman opts to play in a 3-4-1-2 formation. Wiegman has plenty to ponder and she has, historically, always found the answers. There are many questions still to answer before Tuesday, though, and precious little time to do so.
