England goal star Kelly grateful for Euro semi heroics after rocky club season

TimesLIVE

5 days ago

After Chloe Kelly smashed in her own rebound that lifted England into the Euro 2025 final, she struck a casual pose at the corner flag, one hand on the flag, another on her hip, and smiled up at the England fans.
Kelly's 119th-minute winner was the punctuation mark on a nervy come-from-behind 2-1 victory over Italy that sends the reigning champions into their third consecutive final of a major tournament.
They will play either world champions Spain or Germany on Sunday.
Asked where she gets her confidence, Kelly said: 'Myself.'
'The moments when in January I felt like giving up football makes you so grateful for these moments here today, and this makes you enjoy every minute of that,' said Kelly, who did her trademark prancing penalty run-up.
Chloe Kelly doesn't miss 😤🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿
England confirm their place in the #WomensEuros2025 ⚽ #SSFootball | #HereForHer pic.twitter.com/wxa67SNv2G
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) July 22, 2025
'I think confidence comes from within, but from around you as well. The players that we stand side by side with on the pitch, give confidence in each other.'
Back in January, there were doubts the 27-year-old would be in the Euros squad because she was barely playing for Manchester City. She made a public plea to leave City to secure more playing time and improve her odds.
Kelly's plea worked as she spent the rest of the season on a successful loan spell with Arsenal, and then signed a permanent deal with the London club.
Sunday's final will be the fifth in a major tournament for coach Sarina Wiegman, who said the night felt like a 'movie' with 19-year-old Michelle Agyemang striking the equaliser in the 96th minute to send the game into extra time.
'It was a little bit dramatic. At the 88th minute, I thought 'We have to score now or we have a problem,'' Wiegman said, laughing.
Wiegman heaped praise on Agyemang, who almost scored again with an effort deep into the second half of extra time, but clanged her shot off the crossbar.
Michelle Agyemang forces England and Italy into extra time 🤯🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇮🇹
📺 Stream #WomensEuros2024 on DStv: https://t.co/B0jLrQW5cc pic.twitter.com/MojF7ibN60
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) July 22, 2025
'She's only 19 years old and she's very mature, she knows exactly what she needs to do,' Wiegman said. 'When you came into our team late, right before the Euro but she's really mature already and brings something different, and that's what she showed today.
'That ball she hit against the crossbar — it was spectacular.'
The one negative on the night was Lauren James limping off with an ankle injury to end the first half. Wiegman said James, who sat on the bench with a bag of ice on the ankle, will be reassessed on Wednesday.
Kelly fired home the rebound from her own penalty to net the winner as England pulled off a stunning comeback to reach the final.
England, who fell behind in the first half but hit back to level in second-half stoppage time, had the better of the chances in extra time, and when Emma Severini pulled down Beth Mead in the box, Kelly grabbed the chance to decide the game.
Her first effort was saved but she fired home the rebound.
The Italians had defended brilliantly and attacked incisively on the break, and their persistence paid off in the 33rd minute of a gritty semifinal when a ball from the right found its way to Barbara Bonansea, who took a touch before lashing it into the roof of the net.
England then dominated possession and created a slew of chances as the Italians rode their luck, but too often the English attackers unleashed shots from distance that were either easily dealt with or flew harmlessly over the bar.
With their hopes of defending their title slowly slipping away, Agyemang snapped up a loose ball in the box and fired home in the sixth minute of stoppage time to send the game to extra time.