England's Kelly grateful for moments like Tuesday after rocky club season
GENEVA - 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.
Top stories
Swipe. Select. Stay informed.
Business Singapore's digital banks finding their niche in areas like SMEs as they narrow losses in 2024
World Trump says US will charge 19% tariff on goods from Philippines, down from 20%
Singapore Two found dead after fire in Toa Payoh flat
Singapore 2 foreigners arrested for shop theft at Changi Airport
Opinion Most companies onboard wrong – here's how to get it right
Life Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath's bat-biting frontman turned reality TV star, dies aged 76
Singapore Singaporeans continue to hold world's most powerful passport in latest ranking
Singapore Ports and planes: The 2 Singapore firms helping to keep the world moving
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 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. REUTERS
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
India have not ruled out Bumrah for the final test, coach says
Find out what's new on ST website and app. FILE PHOTO: Cricket - International Test Match Series - Fourth Test - England v India - Old Trafford Cricket Ground, Manchester, Britain - July 26, 2025 India's Jasprit Bumrah looks on Action Images via Reuters/Ed Sykes/File Photo MANCHESTER, England - India head coach Gautam Gambhir said they had not ruled out playing pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah in the final test against England at the Oval this week as they look to avoid a series defeat. Bumrah has already played three tests in the series, the maximum workload team management had targeted for the bowler after he spent three months on the sidelines with a back injury before returning to action in April. India snatched an unlikely draw in the fourth test at Old Trafford on Sunday but trail the hosts 2-1 in the five-match series. "We haven't had any conversation around the combination for the last test," Gambhir said. "No decision has been made on whether Jasprit Bumrah will play or not. Ultimately, whoever plays, they will try and do the job for the country." India captain Shubman Gill suggested it might be left up to Bumrah to make the call. "If he feels like he's fully fit and available for us, I think it would be a great deal for us," Gill told the BBC. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Tanjong Katong sinkhole backfilled; road to be repaved after LTA tests Singapore Tanjong Katong Road sinkhole did not happen overnight: Experts Singapore Authorities say access to Changi intertidal areas unaffected by reclamation, in response to petition Singapore SIA flights between S'pore and Cambodia, S'pore and Thailand, operating normally amid border dispute Singapore Police statements by Jipson Quah in fake vaccine case involving Iris Koh allowed in court: Judge Singapore New Mandai North Crematorium, ash-scattering garden to open on Aug 15 Singapore Not feasible for S'pore to avoid net‑zero; all options to cut energy emissions on table: Tan See Leng Singapore With regional interest in nuclear energy rising, S'pore must build capabilities too: Tan See Leng India went into the fourth test with a depleted bowling attack having rested the injured pace duo of Akash Deep (groin) and Arshdeep Singh (hand). Bowling all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy had already returned home after a knee injury cut short his tour. Anshul Kamboj made his test debut in Manchester but Gambhir said they would have a full set of fit bowlers at their disposal for the test at the Oval, which begins on Thursday. "All the fast bowlers are fit," Gambhir said. "There are no injury concerns." However, India will be without stumper-batter Rishabh Pant, who has been ruled out of the series finale after fracturing his foot while batting in India's first innings in Manchester. REUTERS
CNA
2 hours ago
- CNA
India have not ruled out Bumrah for the final test, coach says
MANCHESTER, England :India head coach Gautam Gambhir said they had not ruled out playing pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah in the final test against England at the Oval this week as they look to avoid a series defeat. Bumrah has already played three tests in the series, the maximum workload team management had targeted for the bowler after he spent three months on the sidelines with a back injury before returning to action in April. India snatched an unlikely draw in the fourth test at Old Trafford on Sunday but trail the hosts 2-1 in the five-match series. "We haven't had any conversation around the combination for the last test," Gambhir said. "No decision has been made on whether Jasprit Bumrah will play or not. Ultimately, whoever plays, they will try and do the job for the country." India captain Shubman Gill suggested it might be left up to Bumrah to make the call. "If he feels like he's fully fit and available for us, I think it would be a great deal for us," Gill told the BBC. India went into the fourth test with a depleted bowling attack having rested the injured pace duo of Akash Deep (groin) and Arshdeep Singh (hand). Bowling all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy had already returned home after a knee injury cut short his tour. Anshul Kamboj made his test debut in Manchester but Gambhir said they would have a full set of fit bowlers at their disposal for the test at the Oval, which begins on Thursday. "All the fast bowlers are fit," Gambhir said. "There are no injury concerns." However, India will be without stumper-batter Rishabh Pant, who has been ruled out of the series finale after fracturing his foot while batting in India's first innings in Manchester.
AsiaOne
3 hours ago
- AsiaOne
Bend It Like Beckham sequel in the works, Entertainment News
A Bend It Like Beckham sequel is in the works. The 2002 sports-drama movie — which starred Keira Knightley and Parminder Nagra — is widely credited with inspiring a generation of women to play football, and director Gurinder Chadha thinks now is the perfect moment to launch a sequel. The 65-year-old filmmaker told the BBC: "We've been part of changing the game for women, so it felt like this was a good time for me to go back and investigate the characters." The England women's football team have enjoyed significant success in recent years and are currently preparing to take on Spain in the final of Euro 2025. Gurinder observed that attitudes towards women's football have changed since the first movie, but she admits that more progress is still needed. She said: "A lot has changed since the original movie, but I think that people still don't think that women should play football. "There are people who still don't take it seriously, although the Lionesses are riding high. "I've left it a while, but I thought, look at the Euros, look at the Lionesses." Gurinder hopes the sequel will spread a positive message and "challenge" stereotypes. The director explained: "What I did was say you can do what you want, and you can have it all, and I think that's a really great message to put out again. I think there's still stuff to say, and stuff to challenge." Bend It Like Beckham proved to be a big moment in Keira Knightley's career, but the actress previously revealed that her friends scoffed at the idea of making the movie. During an appearance on The Tonight Show, Keira told host Jimmy Fallon: "I literally remember telling people I was doing it and it's called Bend It Like Beckham, and them going, 'Oh that's really embarrassing'. And they were all like, 'Don't worry. Nobody will see it. It's fine.'" The actress noted that "women's football was not as big" in 2002 as it is now, and so her friends assumed that the movie would flop at the box office. She said: "Women's football was not as big back then, and so the idea of the whole thing was sort of ridiculous." Despite this, the film proved its doubters wrong, earning more than US$70 million (S$89.6 million) at the box office and even inspiring a musical adaptation of the movie. And Keira — who also starred in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise — is still constantly reminded of her role in the movie by fans. She said: "It's amazing because it's still the film even today, you know, if someone comes up to talk to me about my work, it's that one. It's so loved. It's amazing." [[nid:720616]]
