By Jamie Spencer
2022, 2023, and now 2025. England’s irrepressible Lionesses are into one more remaining. However, once more, it was no simple journey, with Italy executing an virtually excellent gameplan in Geneva on Tuesday night time.
England had no excuses, heavy favourites forward of kick-off after seeing off a extra polished and harmful opponent in Sweden within the earlier spherical. Italy hadn’t fluked their technique to a primary semi-final in 28 years, although, earlier than demonstrating their spectacular medical high quality, and much more spectacular resilience to get inside seconds of reaching the ultimate themselves.
Le Azzurre took the lead in all 5 of their video games at these Euros, together with in opposition to Spain through the group stage. However they by no means managed to guide 2-0 at any level throughout these outings and, critically, when England cancelled out Barbara Bonansea’s opener within the sixth minute of stoppage time, it was the fourth time they’ve been pegged again. Solely as soon as after conceding, in opposition to Norway within the quarter-finals, did they really go on to win the sport.
In reality, Italy’s massive achievement, as Europe’s eighth-ranked crew coming into this event, was getting this far. But it surely completely won’t really feel like that within the circumstances.
England had performed into France’s fingers within the group stage, and into Sweden’s for 78 minutes of the quarter-final. Each pressed with depth and made it tough for the Lionesses to play. Italy took a distinct strategy, sitting deeper and tasking England with breaking down a low block.
A part of that noticed the Italians reluctant to have interaction Lauren James when she received on the ball, standing off, acutely aware of how simply the Chelsea star can shift the ball both aspect to beat gamers.
However with England unable to capitalise on dominating the opening quarter of the sport, Italy grew in confidence. Their xG stood at simply 0.04 previous to Bonansea’s breakthrough strike, with Hannah Hampton not examined and no actual risk on her objective. It was a disappointing one for England to concede, not coping with the cross into the field, with Bonansea readily available on the far publish to blast in.
The place Bonansea went for energy, James opted for precision as England tried to hit straight again, learn and parried by Italy goalkeeper Laura Giuliani. James went off at half-time with an ankle harm.
As Italy defended in numbers, England lacked a remaining ball or high quality within the end, getting issues mistaken in the important thing second or snatching at capturing alternatives. The compact form and shutting of house centrally pressured England huge and to more and more resort to capturing from distance.
With the top of the sport and a historic end in sight, Italy made it their mission to frustrate and disrupt any English momentum. Each effort was taken to gradual issues down, in no rush to restart play at throw-ins or free-kicks. Giuliani was yellow carded for timewasting with 17 minutes nonetheless to go.
The AC Milan stopper had been excellent all night time, routinely claiming balls to ease the strain on the defence in entrance of her. It was harsh that her first mistake, distracted by Beth Mead because the England ahead ran throughout her line of sight and spilling the ball, proved so expensive. The free ball fell into the trail of substitute Michelle Agyemang, who equalised late for the second recreation operating.
Extremely becoming is that {the teenager}’s surname, of Ghanaian origin, means ‘saviour of the nation’.
Agyemang has scored as many occasions for England (3) within the final three and a half months alone as she did for Brighton in the entire of the 2024/25 WSL season. It’s a weird case of a global profession taking off earlier than a membership profession, however she is really England’s wildcard, and even struck the bar within the second half of extra-time, as a intelligent lob rebounded off the woodwork.
Cruelly, the semi-final in the end hinged on two moments involving Italy substitute Emma Severini. The Fiorentina midfielder, simply 4 days on from her twenty second birthday and profitable solely a twelfth senior cap after approaching halfway by means of the second half, was responsible of lacking an excellent probability to double her crew’s lead on 86 minutes. It may have killed the tie in Italy’s favour, with the ball spilled by Hampton and Severini in place to show within the rebound on the sting of the six-yard field. However the effort lacked conviction and the England goalkeeper was capable of gratefully collect.
The distinction was that Agyemang, in a really comparable state of affairs 10 minutes later, saved her composure.
One other penalty shootout beckoned within the remaining levels of extra-time, till Severini naively wrestled Mead to the bottom in full view of the referee. It resulted in an England spot-kick, nearly a sudden dying second, to win it there after which. Lucy Bronze and Alex Greenwood stood in dialogue over who would take it, earlier than Chloe Kelly stepped ahead. There’s a swagger and vanity concerning the Arsenal ahead, who went viral for a bullet penalty within the World Cup two summers in the past and transformed in opposition to Sweden final week.
Giuliani truly saved this one. However Kelly was readily available to gobble up the rebound, narrowly beating Ella Toone to the free ball, earlier than gesturing to the group that it was by no means unsure. Identical to Agyemang, she has had a big impact on England at this event as an influence sub, with decisive interventions off the bench in successive knockout video games.
A rematch of the Euro 2022 remaining in opposition to Germany, or the 2023 World Cup remaining in opposition to Spain now awaits. We’ll know which it’s on Wednesday night time.
(Cowl picture from IMAGO)
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