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The Independent
17 minutes ago
- The Independent
England saviour Michelle Agyemang ‘something special' says Sarina Wiegman
Sarina Wiegman predicted much more to come from 'something special' Michelle Agyemang after the 19-year-old saved England from the brink of elimination for the second time at Euro 2025 and helped the Lionesses book a return trip to the final. Agyemang has scored three times in her first four appearances for the defending champions, who were initially stunned in their 2-1 last-four comeback victory over Italy when Barbara Bonansea opened the scoring for the underdogs 33 minutes into the Geneva semi-final. But just as she did in their quarter-final against Sweden, the youngest Lioness in Switzerland came off the bench and levelled late in the second-half. clipping the crossbar in extra-time before fellow replacement Chloe Kelly emphatically buried the rebound from her own saved penalty late in the second period. 'She has something special,' Wiegman said of Agyemang, who levelled with less than two minutes remaining in second-half stoppage time. '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.' Despite her tremendous trajectory, Wiegman does not feel pressure to give the major tournament debutant, who scored 41 seconds into her England debut in April, more minutes than she has so far. 'She's not forcing me,' insisted Wiegman, who has now guided teams to three consecutive European finals, and will aim to make it a hat-trick of three trophies – one with the Netherlands and two with England – with victory in Sunday's Basel final. 'I think she is very grateful she gets minutes, and she's really ready for it. I think her growth and her development went so quickly, from not starting at Brighton, being on loan, to getting lots more minutes and showing how good she is and coming into our team. 'I think how these things go, (they've gone) pretty smoothly for her, and I think she feels very good about that. England await their opponents for Sunday's final – either World Cup holders Spain or Germany, who England beat 2-1 in the final of their home Euros to lift their first major trophy in 2022 after Kelly scored in extra time. Agyemang, who returned to parent club Arsenal at the conclusion of the last campaign, drew high praise from Gunners team-mate and England captain Williamson – the woman she replaced with five minutes remaining in normal time. 'She feels inevitable right now,' said Williamson. 'I think she's quality. I think what she brings, 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 tonight, and then I hope she's ready to go at the weekend.' Fellow Gunner Kelly, who signed a permanent agreement with Arsenal earlier this month, said she felt like she was in a 'fantasy' and was feeling 'so proud to be English' after writing more history for her country. Agyemang, she said, 'made something happen for the team, got us back in the game, and built so much momentum for us. 'Especially that one where she hits the crossbar, I think that gave us a new lease of energy. She was unbelievable tonight. She gave us a lot of confidence, and when your forward is doing that, it's special.'
Reuters
18 minutes ago
- Reuters
England's Kelly grateful for moments like Tuesday after rocky club season
GENEVA, July 22 (Reuters) - 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. "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. "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 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.
BBC News
19 minutes ago
- BBC News
'Incredible crowd love' gave Carter courage to play
Defender Jess Carter says the support of fans in England's Euro 2025 semi-final against Italy "meant everything" after being racially abused - or she wouldn't have had the confidence to play in the 2-1 Lionesses booked their spot in a Euros final for a second successive time after an extra-time success in came just two days after Carter revealed she had been subjected to online racist abuse since the tournament began in players then announced they would stop taking the knee before games and instead stood still before the kick-off against Italy on Tuesday. Substitutes, including Carter, stood on the touchline with their arms linked in a show of supporters at the Stade de Geneve chanted Carter's name throughout the match and applauded in the 16th minute in reference to her squad number. The Gotham FC defender, 27, received a rapturous reception when she came on as a substitute late in extra time as the defending champions held out for a comeback victory."It meant everything," Carter told BBC Sport of the crowd's response."Without that I wouldn't have felt the confidence to come out on to the pitch, whether for the last three minutes or not."I'm not sure I would have had the courage to be available to support my team. They've allowed me to do that, so I can't be more grateful to everyone who has shown support."I'm super grateful to them. I hope they bring that energy for every single minute of every single game for every single one of our players because they were loud and amazing. "The love I felt was incredible, so thank you so much."England's players said they decided to stop taking the knee because it was "clear we and football need to find another way to tackle racism", while manager Sarina Wiegman said the impact of the anti-racism gesture was "not good enough". "I was trying to focus on not crying," added Carter, when asked to describe her emotions on the touchline."[Standing together] was about bringing awareness back to racism, that it's still here and present and that people are still having to put up with it."I'm not saying massive change is going to be made but we wanted to make the point again to people sending hateful comments. We're here to try to do well for your country, perform for your country. "I don't mind the comments about not playing great, I can handle those ones, but the colour of my skin has nothing to do with my feet. I'll continue to give everything for my country."On her decision to open up about the abuse, the former Chelsea defender said: "It was really tough for me to step up and speak about something. I'm not really a person to do that, I keep my head down and keep going."But it got to a point where I didn't feel comfortable or confident in myself."I spoke with my team and everyone has been incredible. The support from my team has been amazing."Having gone a goal down, England looked set for defeat in Geneva but were rescued by a 96th-minute Michelle Agyemang equaliser, before Chloe Kelly scored in the final minute of extra time after her penalty was side will face Spain or Germany in the final on Sunday, 27 July at 17:00 BST.
