Kelly the hero as England sink Spain on penalties to win Euro 2025
Spain dominated possession in Basel, Switzerland on Sunday and made the breakthrough in the 25th minute as Ona Batlle crossed and the England defence was caught flat-footed, allowing Mariona Caldentey to head the ball past Hannah Hampton.
With Lauren James struggling due to an ankle inury, England were struggling, but Kelly came off the bench to replace her just before the break and it proved an inspired substitution from Wiegman.
Kelly helped close down England's porous left flank and provided the cross for Alessia Russo to level in the 57th minute, the forward heading home her inch-perfect assist.
Spain continued to monopolise the ball but could not find another goal before the end of normal time, and the story continued through extra time as they probed and probed, but could not break through the English defence as the game finished 1-1.
The Spaniards got the shootout off to a great start when Cata Coll saved Beth Mead's effort, but England keeper Hannah Hampton stepped up and saved from Caldentey and then from Aitana Bonmati to put England in the driving seat.
Coll got Spain back into it with another one-handed stop to block Leah Williamson, but Spain substitute Salma Paralluelo then fired her kick wide of the target.
That set the stage for Kelly to repeat her 2022 heroics, when she scored the extra-time winner over Germany that won them the title at Wembley.
Kelly made her trademark prancing run-up before smashing the ball into the net and peeling away in ecstasy to celebrate with the rest of the players in front of the England fans.
'I'm so proud, so proud of this team, so grateful to wear this badge, and I'm so proud to be English … I was cool, I was composed and I knew I was going to hit the back of the net,' Kelly said.
Spain trailed for only four minutes in the entire tournament – and not for one second against England – yet could not seal their first European title.
The final was the first time since the inaugural edition in 1984 that the game was decided by a penalty shootout – a match in which England were beaten by Sweden.
Speaking to the BBC, England goalkeeper Hampton said: 'This team is just unbelievable, incredible.
'We've shown throughout this tournament [that] we can come back when we go a goal down. We have that grit. We never say die – we just keep going, and we did that today.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Jazeera
11 hours ago
- Al Jazeera
India rock England on Day Two of latest fractious Test
India roared back into contention on an exhilarating day two of the final Test on Friday as their seamers restricted England to a 23-run lead after the hosts had threatened to run away with a match that the tourists need to win to square the series. After mopping up India's brittle tail in less than 30 minutes in the morning, openers Zac Crawley and Ben Duckett raced to 92-0 in 12 overs in a blistering return of Bazball. However, continuing the back-and-forth theme of the entire series, India responded as their bowlers ran in relentlessly to peg England back to 247. Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal then scored quickly in a potentially awkward last 90 minutes, ending unbeaten on 51 with India closing on 75-2, 52 runs ahead to leave the pivotal match fascinatingly poised. Another fabulously undulating day began with India resuming at 204-6, but soon skittled for 224 as pace bowler Gus Atkinson took five wickets in his first Test since May. It was an all-too-familiar collapse by the tourists this summer as Karun Nair fell lbw for 57 and Washington Sundar was caught for 26. Atkinson then bowled Mohammed Siraj and had Prasidh Krishna caught behind, both for ducks, to finish with 5-33. England set about their reply in their usual, swashbuckling fashion, exemplified by Duckett's extraordinary 'reverse hook' for six off Akash Deep. They reached 50 in seven overs – the fastest 50 opening partnership England have ever managed in a Test – but fell just short of the 100 as Duckett was caught behind reversing for 43. They were 109-1 at lunch, and England looked poised to take command, but India, as they have all summer, refused to buckle as Crawley (64) and Ollie Pope (22) quickly departed. Joe Root brought his usual calm to proceedings until Siraj nipped one back at him for an lbw on 29, with Jacob Bethell going the same way soon after. Krishna finished off the session in style by having Jamie Smith brilliantly caught in the slips for eight by KL Rahul, then getting Jamie Overton lbw for nought and followed up with the wicket of Atkinson to finish with 4-62. Harry Brook had a late flurry either side of a rain delay before becoming Siraj's fourth victim when bowled for 53 as England, with injured Chris Woakes absent, were all out for 247. India's openers quickly erased that and pushed on well beyond, with Jaiswal looking particularly enterprising en route to a quickfire 51 – though he was badly dropped in the deep on 40. Rahul departed tamely for seven off Josh Tongue, and Sai Sudharsan followed, lbw to Atkinson for 11, leaving Deep not out four. With good weather forecast for Saturday, another Oval full house will turn up in expectation of more fireworks, and what has been one of the most entertaining series for years is still in the balance.
Al Jazeera
16 hours ago
- Al Jazeera
Isak's Liverpool link grows as Newcastle absence continues
Newcastle have rejected Liverpool's opening bid to sign unsettled Sweden striker Alexander Isak, according to reports. Isak has been training at his old club Real Sociedad this week after reportedly telling Newcastle he wants to leave St James' Park. The 25-year-old has been linked with Liverpool since the end of last season, and the Premier League champions are now believed to have formalised their interest with an offer of about 110 million pounds ($146m) plus potential add-ons. But Newcastle, who reportedly value Isak at 150 million pounds ($199m), remain eager to hold on to their prize asset and have rebuffed Liverpool's initial bid. Isak, who joined Newcastle in a 60-million-pound ($80m) move from Real Sociedad in 2022, scored 23 Premier League goals last season to help Newcastle qualify for the Champions League. He has three years left on his Newcastle contract, but did not travel to Asia for the Magpies' ongoing preseason tour, with the club saying he had a minor thigh injury. On Thursday, Real Sociedad confirmed he was at their Zubieta facility with his own trainers. It was reported on Friday that Newcastle had told Isak he could agree a new deal containing a get-out clause for next year, but he responded by insisting he wants to move now. Liverpool manager Arne Slot has already bolstered his attacking options by signing Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike and Bayer Leverkusen playmaker Florian Wirtz during the current transfer window. But the Reds are eager to make their forward line even more formidable by adding Isak, as they look to win back-to-back English titles for the first time since the 1980s. Newcastle boss Eddie Howe struck a defiant note earlier this week when he said: 'He is still our player. He's contracted to us. 'We, to a degree, control what is next for him. I would love to believe all possibilities are still available to us. 'My wish is that he stays, but that's not in my full control.' Liverpool have spent more than 250 million pounds ($332m) so far in the summer window, with Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong and Giorgi Mamardashvili joining Wirtz and Ekitike at Anfield.
Al Jazeera
21 hours ago
- Al Jazeera
England's Woakes ruled out of remainder of India Test
England paceman Chris Woakes is set to miss the remainder of the fifth and deciding Test against India at the Oval after suffering a shoulder injury, team management have announced. Woakes injured himself late on Thursday's opening day in south London in a desperate bid to prevent a boundary, landing awkwardly and then leaving the field with his left arm in a makeshift sling while in evident pain. He was then assessed by team medical staff, and while Woakes could yet feature again in a dire emergency, an England spokesman speaking before the start of Friday's second day ruled him out. 'England seamer Chris Woakes will continue to be monitored throughout the remainder of the Rothesay Fifth Test at The Kia Oval, following a left shoulder injury sustained on day one of the match against India,' the spokesman said. 'At this stage, the injury has ruled him out of any further participation in the Test. 'A further assessment will be conducted at the conclusion of the series.' India, who must win the match to end a five-Test series level at 2-2, were 204-6 at Thursday's close after being sent into bat. Woakes is the only England pace bowler to have featured in every match of a gruelling series where five Tests have been squeezed into a schedule of seven weeks. On generally flat pitches in the preceding four Tests, Woakes struggled to make an impact, taking 10 wickets. And on Thursday he had India opener KL Rahul chop the ball onto his stumps before suffering the injury. Given his mediocre record away from home, Woakes already faced a tough task to gain selection for England's upcoming Ashes tour of Australia, and, at the age of 36, this injury could threaten the Warwickshire all-rounder's international career. In the short term, his injury is set to leave an already depleted England pace attack a man down at the Oval, with substitutes only permitted to field, not bat or bowl. England captain Ben Stokes, the leading wicket-taker this series, is missing the series finale with a shoulder injury, while pacemen Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse were both left out at the Oval following their previous workload in this series. Express quick Mark Wood is a long-term absentee, while Olly Stone is only just returning to fitness following a knee injury.
