The Lionesses proved cats really do have nine lives after making another sensational comeback from being a goal down 96 minutes in – securing England a spot in the Euro finals
England have won a place in the Euro finals after a jaw-dropping 2-1 victory over Italy.
The Lionesses proved cats really do have nine lives after making another sensational comeback from being a goal down 96 minutes in. It seemed certain the Lionesses were about to crash out of the tournament. But then, fans blew the roof off the Stade de Geneva with thunderous roars of delight when super sub Michelle Agyemang saved England’s bacon with 60 seconds spare on the clock.
The 19-year-old, who is the youngest player on the squad, sent a rocket shot into Italy’s goal, equalising in seven minutes of extra time. And after a foul on Beth Mead inside the penalty area in 119 minutes of extra time, Chloe Kelly scored the winner. Every player and FA staff member ran from the bench in wild celebrations at the miraculous result.
Fans had been hopeful for a straightforward win after their nail-biting penalty shootout with Sweden in the quarter-finals but the England women seemed set on delivering some more drama.
Moved to tears by the rollercoaster performance, Sharon Brown, 43, from Middlewich, Cheshire, said: “We were on the edge of our seats in the living room at home watching the penalty shootout against Sweden.
“We were worrying at the time we wouldn’t get to actually cheer them on in the stands if they got kicked out, so to be here and see them not only get into the final but to do it like that, it feels like a once in a lifetime moment as a family.” Sharon, who has tickets for the final with husband Phil, 42, and their three daughters, Eryn, 15, Eliza, 13, and Eadie, nine, admitted they’ll be celebrating by finishing their holiday in… Italy!
And they’ve been forced to renegotiate bedtime rules for their youngest, who was determined not to miss any of the action. Sharon said: “There’s no bedtimes out here. We’re flying from here to Zurich for the next semi-final, and then after the final we have an early flight to Italy for the last part of our holiday so we might be asleep on the plane but we’ll hopefully have some big celebrations as a family when we get there!”
Pals Liz King, 60, and Sharon Rogalski, 73, from Peterborough, told how their home city is nicknamed ‘Pizzaborough’ thanks to a huge contingent of Italian residents there.
Liz said: “It’s nicknamed pizzaborough we have that many Italians, they are truly lovely people but there’s not that many times we get one over on them so to get one over on them today feels like it was meant to be.”
The pair have been hoping throughout the tournament that the Lionesses would give them the chance to watch an England final together. And as their wish came true Sharon was moved to tears. She added: “I cry every time England score a goal so I can feel myself welling up, my heart is with England. We’ve never seen England in a final and now we are going to see one.”
Asked how they’ll celebrate, Liz said: “We are going to the pub! It’s just surreal we only did the group stages at the Australia World Cup so to get to a final and be out here for it together is amazing.”
Mollie Shurmer, 31, from Blackpool said: “The emotions have been all over the place during the whole tournament, I was expecting another emotional rollercoaster but I wasn’t expecting that. She added: “We’re off to go and find an afterparty.”