Latest news with #EuropeanTitle
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Euro 2025 power rankings: Spain still the team to beat but England in hunt
Spain's quest to win their first European title continues at full pace. Their quarter-final victory against Switzerland was more difficult than expected and required significant patience. They were not at their best – the hosts did not allow them to be – but the calibre of the world champions' squad means the opposition cannot switch off, even for an instant. Finding a way is relatively easy when you have Aitana Bonmatí on the field, and her back-heeled assist for Athenea del Castillo's opener on Friday night was the moment of inspiration they needed. Winning in front of a partisan host crowd is also an achievement mentally. Sarina Wiegman described England's win against Sweden as one of the hardest matches she has ever watched. But it was also one of the most thrilling. The holders were outplayed in the first half but came back through sheer grit, tactical adaptability and a bench-worth of game-changers. The Lionesses became the first team in Euros history to turn around a 2-0 deficit in a knockout match and they have been in the semi-finals of every major tournament since 2015. That shows a mental resilience not many teams possess. To then win the penalty shootout in the manner they did – through the pure willpower of Lucy Bronze if nothing else – illustrated how important this is. The development of this Italy side since crashing out of the 2023 World Cup at the group stage has been nothing short of remarkable. Andrea Soncin has brought fresh life to a team that were threatening to go backwards. They dominated their quarter-final victory over Norway, utilising Arianna Caruso's passing range, Sofia Cantore's speed in wide areas and Cristiana Girelli's instinctive eye for goal, and celebrated reaching their first major tournament semi-final since 1997 with fervour, tears falling and Natasha Bedingfield's Unwritten echoing through the hallways of the Stade de Genève. The difference in Germany between their group defeat by Sweden and the performance they put in to overcome France could not have been starker. They were reduced to 10 players in both matches, but they left everything on the pitch in their quarter-final encounter on Saturday night, battling against the odds to reach the last four once again. There is no doubt that Christian Wück's side are wounded. Their backline is decimated by injury and suspension. There is strength to be found in resilience, however, and Germany displayed plenty of that in Basel. Everyone present inside the Stadion Wankdorf on Friday understood they were witnessing something special. Switzerland have captured the heart of their nation over the past month and their performance against Spain, despite ultimate defeat, will have only brought in more fans. About 25,000 marched through the city of Berne to the match, a sea of red and white that illustrated this goes way beyond the plucky, tenacious performances of Pia Sundhage's young group. They have forged a bond with their fans; it is now up to those in power to ensure this opportunity is not missed. A week ago, France very much looked like a team who could win this tournament, one who had shaken off numerous past issues. But once again, their knockout curse raised its head. Their shootout defeat by Germany was their eighth in their past nine appearances at a quarter-final stage, and it is the way this one happened that will hurt the most. Despite an injury-struck Germany being reduced to 10 players early on, Laurent Bonadei's side created nine chances and recorded an xG of only 0.63 from open play. The inquest will begin shortly. Peter Gerhardsson's dejected appearance after defeat by England summed it all up. The Sweden manager could not comprehend how his in-form side had not won. The initial gameplan was 'perfect' but their inability to retain their energy levels and adapt to the Lionesses' tactical adaptations proved their downfall. Add in some strange substitutions and penalty-taker decisions and it was Sweden who found themselves on the plane home. This was their first defeat since July 2024 and they had taken the tournament by storm up to this point, cruising through the group stage. Ultimately there was a sad end to Gerhardsson's eight-year tenure. How to solve a problem like Norway. That is the question that remains after yet another knockout stage defeat. On paper they possess one of the strongest attacks in Europe, but they all too often fail to be a sum of their parts. Their performance against Italy was disappointing, offering very little bar a 10-minute spell in the second half. Gemma Grainger's side registered just one shot on target in 90 minutes; Ada Hegerberg's equaliser. Their failing repeatedly on the global stage requires a comprehensive rethink by the Norwegian FA if they are ever going to realise their potential.
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Euro 2025 power rankings: Spain still the team to beat but England in hunt
Spain's quest to win their first European title continues at full pace. Their quarter-final victory against Switzerland was more difficult than expected and required significant patience. They were not at their best – the hosts did not allow them to be – but the calibre of the world champions' squad means the opposition cannot switch off, even for an instant. Finding a way is relatively easy when you have Aitana Bonmatí on the field, and her back-heeled assist for Athenea del Castillo's opener on Friday night was the moment of inspiration they needed. Winning in front of a partisan host crowd is also an achievement mentally. Sarina Wiegman described England's win against Sweden as one of the hardest matches she has ever watched. But it was also one of the most thrilling. The holders were outplayed in the first half but came back through sheer grit, tactical adaptability and a bench-worth of game-changers. The Lionesses became the first team in Euros history to turn around a 2-0 deficit in a knockout match and they have been in the semi-finals of every major tournament since 2015. That shows a mental resilience not many teams possess. To then win the penalty shootout in the manner they did – through the pure willpower of Lucy Bronze if nothing else – illustrated how important this is. The development of this Italy side since crashing out of the 2023 World Cup at the group stage has been nothing short of remarkable. Andrea Soncin has brought fresh life to a team that were threatening to go backwards. They dominated their quarter-final victory over Norway, utilising Arianna Caruso's passing range, Sofia Cantore's speed in wide areas and Cristiana Girelli's instinctive eye for goal, and celebrated reaching their first major tournament semi-final since 1997 with fervour, tears falling and Natasha Bedingfield's Unwritten echoing through the hallways of the Stade de Genève. The difference in Germany between their group defeat by Sweden and the performance they put in to overcome France could not have been starker. They were reduced to 10 players in both matches, but they left everything on the pitch in their quarter-final encounter on Saturday night, battling against the odds to reach the last four once again. There is no doubt that Christian Wück's side are wounded. Their backline is decimated by injury and suspension. There is strength to be found in resilience, however, and Germany displayed plenty of that in Basel. Everyone present inside the Stadion Wankdorf on Friday understood they were witnessing something special. Switzerland have captured the heart of their nation over the past month and their performance against Spain, despite ultimate defeat, will have only brought in more fans. About 25,000 marched through the city of Berne to the match, a sea of red and white that illustrated this goes way beyond the plucky, tenacious performances of Pia Sundhage's young group. They have forged a bond with their fans; it is now up to those in power to ensure this opportunity is not missed. A week ago, France very much looked like a team who could win this tournament, one who had shaken off numerous past issues. But once again, their knockout curse raised its head. Their shootout defeat by Germany was their eighth in their past nine appearances at a quarter-final stage, and it is the way this one happened that will hurt the most. Despite an injury-struck Germany being reduced to 10 players early on, Laurent Bonadei's side created nine chances and recorded an xG of only 0.63 from open play. The inquest will begin shortly. Peter Gerhardsson's dejected appearance after defeat by England summed it all up. The Sweden manager could not comprehend how his in-form side had not won. The initial gameplan was 'perfect' but their inability to retain their energy levels and adapt to the Lionesses' tactical adaptations proved their downfall. Add in some strange substitutions and penalty-taker decisions and it was Sweden who found themselves on the plane home. This was their first defeat since July 2024 and they had taken the tournament by storm up to this point, cruising through the group stage. Ultimately there was a sad end to Gerhardsson's eight-year tenure. How to solve a problem like Norway. That is the question that remains after yet another knockout stage defeat. On paper they possess one of the strongest attacks in Europe, but they all too often fail to be a sum of their parts. Their performance against Italy was disappointing, offering very little bar a 10-minute spell in the second half. Gemma Grainger's side registered just one shot on target in 90 minutes; Ada Hegerberg's equaliser. Their failing repeatedly on the global stage requires a comprehensive rethink by the Norwegian FA if they are ever going to realise their potential.
Telegraph
5 days ago
- Sport
- Telegraph
Italy vs England, Women's Euro 2025: Date, kick-off time and TV channel
England's bid to retain their European title continues when they face Italy in the semi-finals on Tuesday. With seven places between the two sides in the world rankings, England are definite favourites coming into the match, although Italy do have the advantage of an extra day of rest and winning their quarter-final in normal time. England are unbeaten in their last five matches against Italy, winning their most recent meeting 5-1 in February 2024. Lauren Hemp scored two of the five goals and praised her team's dominant performance, 'A very good performance. We were very dominant, as well as in possession. We were unfortunate to concede... All-in-all, it's been a successful evening.' After two victories and one loss in the group of death, England progressed from Group D, finishing second behind France. The Lionesses netted 11 goals in the group stage, putting them second overall. A late comeback and an extraordinary penalty shoot-out saw the Lionesses defeat Sweden 3-2 on penalties in a closely-fought quarter-final. Italy have made it to their first Euros semi-final in 41 years following a narrow escape from Group B. They beat Belgium, drew with Portugal and lost to Spain scoring three goals and conceding four. Their second-place finish meant they drew Norway in the quarter-finals. A brace from captain Cristiana Girelli gave the Italians a last-minute win to progress to the semi-finals. When is it? Tuesday, July 22. What time is kick-off? 8pm (BST). What TV channel is it on? The match will be broadcast live on ITV1 and available online on ITVX. BBC Radio 5 Live and Talksport will cover the match on the radio. Telegraph Sport will live blog the game too. Where is it being played? Stade de Genève in Geneva will host the two sides for the semi-final. The stadium was previously used for the men's 2008 Euros, hosting three group matches. With a capacity of 30,084 it is expected to be a sold-out game. Italy played their quarter-final match against Norway in this stadium, whereas England will travel to Geneva for the first time in the competition. What are the best odds?
The Guardian
05-07-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
England have gamechangers galore but must find another way to win Euros again
I would always rather enter a competition as champions than underdogs because you've got something to hold on to. Once you win, you know what winning looks like. England know how to do it and as the defence of their European title gets under way on Saturday do not underestimate how powerful that feeling is. When you are the holders, the most important thing to get right is your internal hunger and understand you've got a target on your back in every fixture. To counter that, you have to find another level in yourself because a title cannot be won the same way you won it before. In 2022, a massive component of England's success was the effectiveness of their substitutes, not least the gamechanging combination of Alessia Russo and Ella Toone as supersubs, along with Alex Greenwood and – in the final – Chloe Kelly. A successful team needs subs who can make that impact. This tournament will be interesting for England because roles have changed. England will be looking to newer faces such as Aggie Beever-Jones, Grace Clinton, Niamh Charles and Jess Park – players who can make a difference – to change games. Aggie's goalscoring record for Chelsea is exceptional; she scored 0.73 goals for every 90 minutes in the WSL last season and she produced that level the season before, too. We see lots of talented players in academies, but what sets the best from the rest? Coachability, being able to take on ideas, adaptability. That's why Aggie has progressed so well. She was prepared to do whatever it would take. She went to Bristol City on loan and had a difficult start there and I thought how important that would be for her. I remember her scoring a wonder goal for Chelsea against another of her former loan clubs, Everton, and the Everton players going over to her at the end to congratulate her. That just epitomises who she is, because she's so likable. She's such a popular person in the locker room. Aggie will provide competition for Alessia and in the short term she can come from the bench and make a significant contribution. Grace is another youngster who has had a really good season and players like these are why I value the loan system so highly. It offers a bridge between academy football and the top flight. There have been significant changes to England's squad and this group doesn't have as much experience, but that doesn't mean everything. Going into the Olympics last year I had – beyond the main group – a lot of players who were extremely inexperienced. But that brings a different dimension to the group. Sarina Wiegman doesn't usually use more than 13 or 14 players anyway and those 13 or 14 are proven winners. Among the bigger changes since the World Cup, Hannah Hampton, a player we signed for Chelsea, will be in goal. She has been preparing for this opportunity for a long time and I'm sure she's learned a lot from watching Mary Earps. Hannah is a modern goalkeeper who can play and distribute in the deepest spaces. She helps in possession because you can play with your goalkeeper as your spare player. She's maturing, but she's not at a top, top level yet. There's room to grow for her. But moving to Chelsea was a step in that direction. She came in when we had three goalkeepers already, because I felt she was going to be the long-term No 1 for club and country, so it was something the club should do for long-term planning. Being in a world-class environment that holds you accountable every day is what Hannah needs. She needs that discipline of quality. This campaign will be a real test for her, but she's had good preparation to put her in this position. Sign up to Moving the Goalposts No topic is too small or too big for us to cover as we deliver a twice-weekly roundup of the wonderful world of women's football after newsletter promotion In terms of England's biggest strengths, the front three stands out. Alessia has had an unbelievable season – she's gone up another level under Renée Slegers. I've always considered Lauren Hemp to be a world-class player. Then, if Lauren James is fit to start on the right, you've got someone who can drift in and create havoc. On top of that, you've got the experience of Beth Mead and Chloe, who found some form late in the season, so England have goals in them. That was very evident last Sunday against Jamaica. What people don't know about Lauren is she's a football junkie. People think she's just naturally talented, but she's worked so hard. She has also benefited from playing against boys for a lot of her life. That has given her that resilience in one-v-one duels. Have I seen someone as talented technically? No, she is that good. If she is fit and firing, she will be the difference-maker for England. She can pull something out of the hat at any moment. People don't really realise how hard her shot is. We all know about her skills – she used to try to nutmeg me as I walked everywhere – but what about the pace and accuracy of her shooting? I'm not sure I've seen a woman hit a ball like Lauren. I used to think Carli Lloyd was the best at that, but Lauren is unbelievable. Can England win it again? Of course they can. They've got a lot of quality and they've got an experienced manager. Of this squad of 23 players, 14 won a club trophy in the past year. They've had great years. I have no doubt it's going to take a lot for somebody to beat England or Spain in this tournament.
Irish Times
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
‘Complete shock' as boxing event in Galway cancelled three weeks before fight night
A boxing event that was scheduled to take place in Galway's Pearse Stadium on June 28th has been called off by promoters GBM Sports. The card was set to be headlined by Galway native Kieran Molloy's bid for a European title, but it was announced earlier this week that the event would be moved, with details of the fights left unclear. The event has now been moved to Hull, England, and Irish fighters Molloy and Joe Ward have been dropped off the schedule. In a statement released on his Instagram, Molloy said the decision came as a 'complete shock' to him. READ MORE Molloy also stated that he had ended his contract with GBM Sports after the cancellation of the homecoming fight, which he had described as 'dream come true'. 'Following this decision, I have now parted ways with GBM Sports and will be putting my full focus into rebuilding for the future.' A media event had been held for the fights last week, where fighters finally received their tickets from the promoters. Pearse Stadium holds well in excess of 20,000 people, whereas the new venue, the Connexin Live in Hull, only holds about 4,000. Molloy stated that he had already sold a large portion of the 2,500 tickets the promoters had allocated to him to sell for the Galway fight night. Westmeath's Joe Ward was slated to fight former British, Commonwealth and European super middleweight champion Lerrone Richards on the undercard. After an excellent amateur career that included three world championship medals, the cancellation of this card is the latest setback in the professional game for Ward. After turning over in 2019, Ward fell victim to a freak injury in his debut fight, which remains the only loss on his record. Belfast's Sean McComb remains on the card, but still has no opponent confirmed as he climbs into the ring for the first time in over a year. McComb's last outing was a controversial loss over 10 rounds to then unbeaten Arnold Barboza Jr, where most observers felt 'Sugar' had got the better of the American. The event is now headlined by British fighters Bradley Rea and Shakan Pitters in a European title fight.
