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Fox News
22-07-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
Penalties and Goalkeeper Heroics: What Stood Out And What's Next At Euro 2025
Four teams are left standing in the UEFA 2025 Women's Euros. That means two juicy semifinal matches this week before Sunday's grand finale. But before we get into that, let's talk about that dramatic quarterfinal round. Reigning champions England won in a wild penalty shootout over Sweden. Germany somehow made it past France (also on PKs) with only 10 players. Spain is marching on after ousting hosts Switzerland, and Italy's renaissance continues after beating Norway for its first semifinal since 1997. Here's what stood out from those matches and what's ahead for semifinals: The story of the quarterfinals was the bizarre outcomes from penalty kicks across several matches. For starters, the shootout between England and Sweden was one of the wildest we've ever seen, with 14 spot-kicks taken to decide the winner. Sweden led the game 2-0 almost from the start, scoring goals in the second and 25th minutes, before the Lionesses scored consecutive goals in the waning moments of regulation to force extra time. With both sides unable to find the back of the net again, the game came down to PKs, which could arguably be described as the most painful/emotional/shocking shootout in history. Five were scored, six were saved and three were missed. England ultimately advanced with a 3-2 victory, the game-winner coming from Lucy Bronze, which was followed by Smila Homberg's shot sailing over the crossbar. It was also the first time in the history of the Women's Euros that a team came back from a two-goal deficit to win a knockout match. It wasn't the only game where penalties were a factor. Norway's Ada Hegerberg missed a penalty in the second half that could have shifted momentum before her team was ultimately defeated by Italy. Spain's Mariona Caldentey and Alexia Putellas both missed their respective spot kicks during regulation against the Swiss. Germany's Sjoeke Nusken had her attempt saved in the 68th minute before her team ultimately won in a shootout. As the tournament marches on, will penalties continue to be kryptonite or will the remaining teams get their acts together? If it's the former, the championship trophy could be anyone's for the taking. France, which has now been knocked out in the quarterfinals of its last three major tournaments, should have won this game. Les Bleues were up a player most of the game after Germany were issued a red card in the 13th minute when Kathrin Hendrich pulled the hair of France captain Griedge Mbock Bathy. But the French were unable to capitalize, and the Germans took full advantage. Ann-Katrin Berger's performance was especially heroic, including during extra time when she saved a near own goal that would have been catastrophic. During that period, Berger made a gravity-defying save after a shot bounced backward off Janina Minge's head and nearly went into the goal. That confidence remained when Berger came up huge during the ensuing penalty shootout. She played mind games with uneasy French shooters, saving three shots and converting one of her own, to propel Germany to the semifinal where they will face Spain's potent offensive attack (Wednesday 3 p.m. on FOX). There's been concern around England's camp regarding Leah Williamson. The Lionesses captain limped off the pitch with an ankle injury during the win over Sweden. But manager Sarina Wiegman said that Williamson trained on Monday and will be available for the semifinal showdown vs. Italy on Tuesday (3 p.m. on FOX). "It says she really wants to play and she did everything to recover as quick as possible, and she has," Wiegman told reporters on Monday. Williamson has been England's captain for several years now, leading the squad to the Euro 2022 championship before missing the 2023 World Cup with an injury. The 28-year-old defender, who recently helped Arsenal win the Champions League title, has started every match for her national team in this tournament. And as of right now, it appears that trend won't change for Tuesday's game. Laken Litman covers college football, college basketball and soccer for FOX Sports. She previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, USA Today and The Indianapolis Star. She is the author of "Strong Like a Woman," published in spring 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Follow her at @LakenLitman.
USA Today
22-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
How the Seattle Storm's Gabby Williams became an All-Star in her 7th season, what's next
INDIANAPOLIS — Staying put has helped Gabby Williams' game take off. The Seattle Storm forward is enjoying a breakout season, highlighted by her first All-Star appearance Saturday night. And she attributes it, in part, to being able to spend the entire season in Seattle. 'Me being here from day one of training camp has allowed me to just kind of get my rhythm a lot quicker, kind of establish my role,' Williams said. Williams is the cornerstone of France's national team, leading Les Bleues in scoring (15.5 points), assists (4.8) and steals (2.8) at last year's Paris Olympics. She was also France's second-best rebounder, with 4.7 boards a game. Williams had 19 points in the gold-medal game against the United States, nearly forcing overtime with a shot from just inside the 3-point line in the final second. Playing for France has meant Williams has missed large chunks of time in the WNBA, however. Last year, for example, she didn't join the Storm until the end of August. The Chicago Sky suspended her for the entire 2021 season because she wanted to play for France at the Tokyo Olympics. Williams has also played overseas in the offseason, which has caused her to miss time. A concussion while playing for French team ASVEL, for example, limited her to 10 games in 2023. 'I don't think I realized how difficult it had been until I came on time,' Williams said. 'The main thing was just being able to actually be home and move into my apartment vs. the lingering thought of, 'I have to pack a suitcase in two weeks.' I had just gotten used to it, so I didn't realize how hard it was.' That back and forth had already had Williams considering whether to play for France at this summer's EuroBasket tournament, a pre-qualifier for the Los Angeles Olympics that begins Aug. 27. But when Katie Lou Samuelson tore her ACL during the preseason, after the Storm had already lost Jordan Horston to an ACL tear in the offseason, Williams knew she couldn't leave. 'I definitely can't leave the team with nine active players,'' Williams said. 'France understood. I had been in communication with them … so when I did call to tell the coach that wasn't coming, he was like, 'OK, I kind of figured.'' Besides being in Seattle full-time, Williams said familiarity with coach Noelle Quinn's offense has also contributed to her stellar season. Rather than trying to find her groove in the system or play catchup, she could simply focus on what Quinn wanted her to do. 'Just being more aggressive on offense, just kind of establishing myself as a facilitator or a scorer,' Williams said. Williams has done that. And more. Her 13.2 points per game are third-best for the Storm, behind Nneka Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins, and are almost three points better than her previous best. She's also on track to have career highs in assists (4.4), steals (2.4) and blocks (0.5). Williams leads the Storm in minutes played, too, another sign she is indispensable. Despite her numbers, and her performance for France last summer, Williams said she'd never really considered herself as an All-Star. It wasn't until her teammates told her she was having an All-Star-caliber season that she thought it could be a possibility. Hearing that helped her confidence, Williams said. Even more so was the boost she got from being selected, because it was opposing coaches who picked the reserves. 'I never thought I would be respected enough,' Williams said. '(Being an All-Star), I finally felt like they actually are seeing what I'm doing, respecting what I'm doing. It feels good just to have that respect from everyone.' In yet another endorsement, Williams played more than 24 minutes Saturday night, second-most of any player on Team Clark. She finished with 16 points and five assists. The Storm finished the first half of the season at 14-9, the fourth-best record in the W behind the Minnesota Lynx, New York Liberty and Phoenix Mercury. They've beaten the Liberty twice, split their two games so far with Minnesota and taken two of the first three from the Mercury. But Seattle also has lost two of three to the Golden State Valkyries, and dropped a game to the Connecticut Sun. 'I do think we can compete with any team in this league. I just think we're just too inconsistent,' Williams said. 'We just have to prove that we can be the same team every single night in order to get people talking about us in those (contender) conversations.' It's a conversation Williams is very much here for. Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
France football boss backs coach despite 'cruel' Women's Euros elimination
French Football Federation (FFF) president Philippe Diallo told AFP on Monday he was backing women's coach Laurent Bonadei despite the "cruel disappointment" of France being knocked out at the quarter-final stage of Euro 2025. Les Bleues lost on penalties to a Germany side who played with 10 women for almost all of a gruelling encounter which finished 1-1 after extra-time. But for Diallo there's no question of sacking Bonadei. "After the Olympics, we put our faith in Laurent until the World Cup (in 2027) with the aim of helping this team make the transition from one generation to the next," said Diallo. "With 11 consecutive wins and a successful group stage (at the Euros), there are positive things to remember. But with a lot of humility, we have to get back to work, and that will be with Laurent Bonadei," he added. However, the federation president made no attempt to play down the heartbreak of failing to progress past the quarter-finals despite being a goal and a player up in normal time. Diallo described the loss to Germany as "a cruel disappointment", adding "everything had been put in place for this team to go much further in the tournament". "It's a real setback, the eighth time in the last nine major tournaments that France have been eliminated at the quarters," he added. "We're going to have to think with the coach and those in charge of women's football at the FFF about how we can work better." Bonadei did not include former captain Wendie Renard and vastly experienced forward Eugenie Le Sommer in his squad. In the group phase, France beat reigning champions England 2-1 in their opening match before thrashing Wales 4-1 and outclassing the Netherlands 5-2. ali/ig/lle/nf/
Asharq Al-Awsat
20-07-2025
- Sport
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Another Last-eight Exit for France Has Players Wondering When Their Turn will Come
France arrived at Euro 2025 riding on one of the hottest streaks in women's football, but another quarter-final exit from a major tournament left the shell-shocked players wondering when it will be their turn to celebrate. France had won 11 in a row before they kicked off against Germany on Saturday, but wilted against the eight-times European champions -- despite having 11 players to Germany's 10 for most of the game -- losing 6-5 in a penalty shootout. "We're wondering when it's going to be smiling for us at last," said Grace Geyoro, Reuters reported. Geyoro put France ahead with a 14th-minute penalty in a game that ended in a 1-1 draw after extra time. Les Bleues have now been eliminated in the quarter-finals in seven of the past nine World Cups or Euros. They were also eliminated in the quarters in their last two Olympic appearances, in 2016 and 2024. Germany swept them aside in the 2022 Euro semi-finals. "I don't think we have a psychological problem," said France coach Laurent Bonadei. "We have opponents of quality, and it gets harder and harder. "But I think my players gave us hope; Rome wasn't built in a day." Bonadei, who was hired in August 2024, drew criticism when he left veteran centre-back Wendie Renard and France's all-time leading goalscorer Eugénie Le Sommer off his Euro 2025 squad in favour of younger players. Bonadei quoted Einstein in his decision at the time, saying: "'Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.' I want different results for this team so I have gone with a different selection. "It's something I've been thinking about since the start of the season." France defender Sakina Karchaoui called the early exit "totally frustrating." "We had so much faith in this group, in what we've built up and so on," she said. "But we don't have to throw it all away; on the contrary, you have to take a lot of positive things from it. And one day it will pass, we know that." Bonadei pointed out after Saturday's loss that France will clash with Germany again in October in a two-legged Nations League semi-final. Germany, meanwhile, play world champions Spain in the semi-finals on Wednesday.
The Sun
20-07-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
France's Euro 2025 quarter-final exit leaves players questioning future
ANOTHER quarter-final exit at a major tournament has left France's women's football team questioning when their moment of glory will arrive. Despite entering Euro 2025 on an 11-match winning streak, Les Bleues fell to Germany in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw in extra time, losing 6-5 despite playing most of the match with a numerical advantage. Grace Geyoro, who scored France's lone goal from the penalty spot in the 14th minute, summed up the frustration: 'We're wondering when it's going to be smiling for us at last.' The defeat extends a painful pattern—France has now been eliminated in the quarter-finals in seven of their last nine World Cup or European Championship campaigns, including their past two Olympic appearances in 2016 and 2024. Head coach Laurent Bonadei, appointed in August 2024, defended his squad selection, which controversially excluded veterans Wendie Renard and Eugénie Le Sommer. 'Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result,' he said, quoting Einstein. 'I want different results for this team, so I have gone with a different selection.' Defender Sakina Karchaoui admitted the loss was 'totally frustrating' but urged the team to stay positive. 'We had so much faith in this group, in what we've built up,' she said. 'But we don't have to throw it all away; on the contrary, you have to take a lot of positive things from it.' Bonadei highlighted an upcoming Nations League semi-final against Germany in October as a chance for redemption. Meanwhile, Germany advances to face world champions Spain in the Euro 2025 semi-finals. - Reuters
