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The Independent
10 minutes ago
- The Independent
Lucy Bronze's iconic moment saves England and seals her place as a Lionesses legend
"One of a kind," Sarina Wiegman said of Lucy Bronze. Her "fighter" of a full-back certainly offered an image that will go down in England folklore, albeit after a team performance that won't quite be mentioned as prominently. Only the spirit, appropriately, will prevail. After a series of absurd misses, in what might well have been one of the worst penalty shoot-outs in football history, a hobbling Bronze ripped off the strapping on her left leg, and strode forward. An astonishing eight of the 12 previous penalties had been squandered. Some had been missed in scarcely believable fashion, the emotional momentum of the shoot-out veering as wildly as some of the shots. So, Bronze just smashed it straight into the roof of the net. 'I just felt a little bit tight at the end of the game and I thought, I just need to get through to make sure I can keep going,' Bronze said. 'I thought, it's going to hinder me in a penalty. I didn't expect it to go to the sixth penalty, and then it was my penalty. I thought, I need to take this off. I'm going to actually smack it.' 'That resilience, that fight," Wiegman enthused. The manager ended up conjuring another image about Bronze. 'The only way you get her off the pitch is in a wheelchair.' Bronze was the personification of England perseverance, which is one quality you can certainly bank on - even in a performance like this. The kick similarly represented a decisiveness that had been missing from the previous 10 minutes, and most of the game. It also seemed to scramble Sweden for one final kick, as the 18-year-old Smilla Holmberg became just the latest player to sky the ball. This time, it was enough. Bronze's force had driven England into the semi-finals of Euro 2025 - and that after her late goal had sparked the comeback. Her team are now somehow 90 minutes from another final, albeit after a display where they really only played well for a few minutes. Much of that was down to the transformative Chloe Kelly. The obvious discussion now will be over what this emotion does for the team, over the resolve, whether there will now be a momentum from this, a relief that releases them. Wiegman said it was the most chaotic game she'd ever been part of. 'I can't remember anything like this,' she said. Over an hour later, while appearing at her press conference after 1am in Zurich, the manager said she was 'still hyper, still emotional'. But, if we're talking about intangible elements like that, you simply have to focus on the psychodrama of the penalties. It was unlike almost any witnessed in football history, and a rare occasion where the final score of the regulation five each - 2-2 - equalled the actual game. While Bronze finally seized the moment, it's hard not to feel that Sweden ultimately - and calamitously - let it slip away. And that's not just because they were 2-0 up in the 79th minute - a fact that almost felt irrelevant given everything that happened after that. Hannah Hampton later said she could barely remember the first 45 minutes. Her save early in the second half kept England in it, to go with those in the shoot-out. 'That was crucial,' Wiegman said. Sweden still had the chance to secure their semi-final place as it was 2-2 with that very last regulation penalty, an anticipation only heightened as goalkeeper Jennifer Falk sensationally turned around and actually take it. Saving three penalties evidently wasn't enough for her. She wanted to be a treble hero, with the last word. It wouldn't even be the second or third last word. Hampton admitted she was 'surprised' and briefly 'panicked'. For all their preparation, England didn't have the data on her on the opposing goalkeeper's penalty record. All of that went out the window, with Falk's shot. The goalkeeper was the first to sky had to show them how it was the nature of the shoot-out naturally draws most focus, and is pretty much all most people will remember after that, there was still a performance that should draw at least some concern. 'I didn't enjoy it,' Wiegman said, albeit with laughter. She also pointedly disagreed with some criticisms of England's performance before Kelly dramatically transformed it from the 70th minute. The back-and-forth nature of the shoot-out actually reflected England's display in some ways. England got it wrong, then got it right, then got it wrong again, only to display that vintage individual resolve to somehow get through. One of the most remarkable aspects - before the penalties - was that Wiegman made the exact same mistakes as against France in the opening game. It was as if nothing had actually been learned, and that the recent revival was because of the poverty of opposition in the Welsh and Dutch games. England were still woefully vulnerable to pace. Keira Walsh had again been dominated in midfield, and Wiegman's side badly struggled to play through it. Sweden clearly targeted Jess Carter for pressing, but Leah Williamson wasn't exactly sure-footed beside her. This was the source of both Swedish goals. Kosovare Asllani strode through after two minutes, and Stina Blackstenius - whose pressing was causing all manner of problems - scorched through for the second. England's response was so meek until eventually, and what felt so belatedly, Wiegman made three subs. They were surprising subs, especially in removing Georgia Stanway and Ella Toone and not bringing on a replacement midfielder. England front-loaded and went direct. Kelly, who followed Wiegman's triple-change, played a superb ball for Bronze to head in brilliantly at the back post. She defiantly kicked a hoarding, in a foreshadowing of what was to come. Sweden just didn't expect what came next to arrive so quickly. England went straight for goal again. Kelly was this time central and, within two minutes, Michelle Agyemang had turned it in. A new hero. Delirium. But not quite a new direction. The one issue with Wiegman's subs was that they were right for the situation but not for an open game. Extra-time did look a lot like England were just trying to play through it and maybe take a chance. It also comes at a cost, despite the prize of that semi-final. Having gone the distance, all of Williamson, Bronze and Lauren James will need patching up. Williamson is of most concern, having rolled her ankle. Apart from the physical recovery, there's also going to have to be a lot of thought about the team for that semi-final. "I need to calm down," Wiegman said, as Hampton answered a Facetime from family in the press conference. It was that kind of mood. But danger awaits. Italy will surely have taken note of the blueprint to play this England. Wiegman's side have twice struggled in this tournament against quick and physical pressing teams. There were even signs of that going much further back, to the 2023 World Cup. Except, England still go that bit further in this tournament. Wiegman's sole defeat in knockout football is still that 2023 World Cup final to Spain. They still persevere. They still have that resolve, that grit. 'I think that's a quality that is so strong in this team, that togetherness and fighting back,' Wiegman said. 'It shows so much resilience.' England found a way. So much of that was through Bronze.
Reuters
11 minutes ago
- Reuters
NFLPA exec director Lloyd Howell Jr. steps down amid controversy
July 18 - Lloyd Howell Jr. stepped down as executive director of the NFL Players Association on Thursday night following weeks of scrutiny for multiple blunders, including a reported conflict of interest and a decision to hide key parts of an arbitration ruling from the players. "It's clear that my leadership has become a distraction to the important work the NFLPA advances every day," Howell said in a statement. "For this reason, I have informed the NFLPA Executive Committee that I am stepping down as Executive Director of the NFLPA and Chairman of the Board of NFL Players effective immediately. I hope this will allow the NFLPA to maintain its focus on its player members ahead of the upcoming season. "I am proud of what we have been able to accomplish at the NFLPA over the past two years. I will be rooting for the players from the sidelines as loud as ever, and I know the NFLPA will continue to ensure that players remain firmly at the center of football's future." Last week, ESPN reported that Howell held a part-time role as a consultant for The Carlyle Group, one of a small handful of private equity firms that the NFL has approved to pursue minority ownership in franchises. ESPN's reporting included a former lead outside counsel for the NFLPA, Jim Quinn, calling it "an outrageous conflict for the head of a labor union to have an interest in a third party that is aligned with the NFL." It was not the first blow to Howell's reputation this offseason. In June, the "Pablo Torre Finds Out" podcast published an arbitrator's report from January, when the NFLPA and the league were at odds over potential collusion by team owners to tamp down the growth of quarterback contracts. The arbitrator, Christopher Droney, ruled that there wasn't sufficient evidence of collusion between owners -- but he went on to say that "by a clear preponderance of the evidence," commissioner Roger Goodell and the NFL's general counsel encouraged owners to restrict guaranteed money in player contracts. Howell and the union reportedly had a confidentiality agreement with the NFL to keep the full report from getting out. Howell briefed the players but didn't provide them copies of the report, according to ESPN. Furthermore, Howell sits on the board of OneTeam Partners, a group licensing firm that is under investigation by the FBI. --Field Level Media
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Tributes flow for South Australian footy legend Barrie Robran who died aged 77 - 'huge talent on the field, but a greater human off it'
The niece of Barrie Robran has thanked listeners for their well-wishes as tributes continue to flow for the footy legend, who died this week aged 77. Robran is widely regarded as the best player to emerge from South Australia and was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 1996. He played 201 games for North Adelaide from 1967 to 1980, winning the state's highest honour for a footballer, the Magarey Medal, on three occasions. Robran also coached North from 1978 to 1980, won two SANFL premierships, and won admission to the South Australian Football Hall of Fame. Speaking on FIVEAA's winter breakfast program on Friday, Jade Robran told co-host Tom Rehn it has been a tough couple of days for the family. 'It's just hard. Reading the tributes, hearing the stories shared has been so heart-warming, and we are so grateful,' she began. 'Through the tears we are smiling, knowing that he is an incredible man, obviously an incredible footballer.' 'He was a huge talent on field, but a greater human off it.' Elsewhere, former North Adelaide halfback Bohdan Jaworskyj labelled Robran 'smooth and silky' and was always blown away by his pure athleticism. SA Football Commission chairman Rob Kerin said Robran 'changed the way the game was played' and veteran football commentator Bruce McAvaney felt the footy star was 'almost god like' at times on the field. On Wednesday, Robran was on air before abruptly leaving the studio just before 7am. Co-host Rehn then addressed her shock departure, informing listeners there had been a 'death in her family,' he said. 'Jade unfortunately has had to go home, there has been some unexpected and very tragic news. 'There's been a death in her family so we wish Jade all the very best.' North Adelaide paid a heartfelt to their icon after the sad news broke. 'Barrie was, without doubt, in our view the greatest ever to play the game of Australian Rules Football, and certainly the most revered son of our beloved Roosters,' the club's statement read. 'His unparalleled skill, quiet humility and unwavering dedication left an indelible mark on our club and the broader community.' South Australian Premier Peter Malinausakas also expressed the state's admiration. 'Saddened to hear about the passing of the legendary Barrie Robran MBE,' Malinauskas wrote on X. 'A Whyalla boy who was one of South Australia's greatest footballers, a state treasure. 'On behalf of all Government of South Australia, I extend our deepest condolences to his wife Taimi, sons Matthew and Jonathan, grandchildren, and his wider family.' Robran won North's best and fairest award seven times and he had a statue depicting him taking a mark installed at Adelaide Oval in 2014. His footy career began with the North Whyalla club before being recruited by North Adelaide. 'Barrie was more than just a footballer, he was the embodiment of everything North Adelaide stands for – excellence, humility, and unwavering loyalty,' club president Kris Mooney said. 'His legacy will forever inspire us, and his quiet grace touched everyone he met.
