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Reuters
2 days ago
- Sport
- Reuters
England's goalkeeping hero Hampton continues to prove people wrong at Euro 2025
ZURICH, July 18 (Reuters) - As a bloodied Hannah Hampton saved two penalties to send England into the Euro 2025 semi-finals, it was all the more impressive given she was advised at a young age against pursuing football because of an eye condition that affects her depth perception. The 24-year-old, who had gauze stuffed up one nostril throughout Thursday night's wild shootout against Sweden after an earlier collision, was born with strabismus, a condition that prevents the eyes from properly aligning. She underwent three surgeries before the age of three. She has broken fingers and suffered bloody noses from misjudging the ball's trajectory. Even pouring a drink, she has said, is problematic. But Hampton is not easily deterred, and enjoys proving people wrong. "I'm here right now. You can't let all the scrutiny win," Hampton told reporters recently. "I think if you do that it just adds fuel to the fire and I wasn't willing to accept that." Hampton was thrust into the spotlight after the experienced Mary Earps announced her international retirement just weeks before the tournament. She has shone at the Euros in Switzerland, making a couple of diving saves in normal time on Thursday before her shootout heroics, made more remarkable by the fact she had taken an elbow to the face minutes earlier. "I said to her, you only need one nostril," teammate Chloe Kelly said. The Chelsea keeper also made headlines last week when her brilliant long ball led to a goal in their 4-0 thrashing of the Netherlands in the group stage. "She made a massive contribution to a very good team performance," coach Sarina Wiegman said. "The outcome was really good and how the team stuck together, but she had a big contribution to that." Hampton was a backup to Earps when England won the 2022 European title, but was dropped from the squad soon after amid media reports about her attitude and behaviour. She said the negative commentary almost made her quit. Hampton was all smiles on Thursday, even taking a Facetime call with family and friends during her post-game press conference. "I'm in a presser!" Hampton yelled to a family member, before turning the phone screen so they could see the packed media conference. Her family and friends cheered. The Birmingham-born keeper spent much of her childhood in Spain, attending the British School of Vila-real where her parents worked as teachers. She played as a striker for Villarreal's academy team. Sweden's goalkeeper Jennifer Falk saved four of England's shots in Thursday's shootout before stepping up to boldly take one of her own. A goal would have clinched victory for Sweden, but Falk fired her shot over the crossbar. Asked if she had considered taking a penalty herself, Hampton laughed. "They told me to focus on the saving part first and then when it comes to it I would've taken one," Hampton said. "I get a bit excited – my striker instincts come out." England face Italy in the semi-finals on Tuesday in Geneva.
Reuters
2 days ago
- Sport
- Reuters
England, Sweden players proud of penalty shootout performance despite criticism
ZURICH, July 18 (Reuters) - Players from England and Sweden heaped praise on each other for their bravery in a penalty shootout at the Women's European Championship on Thursday, despite a record-low conversion rate and criticism from fans. England's 3-2 shootout victory over Sweden, which secured the reigning champions a place in the Euro 2025 semi-finals, featured missed efforts and saves by both goalkeepers. Yet with England missing four and Sweden missing five of their seven efforts, the players drew plenty of online criticism. "For anyone to step up, it takes a lot, so credit to anyone who takes a penalty in those moments," England forward Alessia Russo said. After what was described on the BBC website as the "greatest and worst shootout of all time", Sweden defender Smilla Holmberg received comfort, not criticism, from players on both sides after missing the decisive kick. "(We told her) that she should be proud of herself, that she is brave, that she has played a great championship and that she is awesome," an emotional Sweden keeper Jennifer Falk told reporters. The meagre 36% conversion rate was the worst combined penalty shootout rate in UEFA Women's Euro history, according to ESPN, the only other one under 50% was the 2017 semi-final between Denmark and Austria (43%). However, former Sweden goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl, who suffered a similar 3-2 shootout defeat in the 2021 Olympic final against Canada, told Reuters on Friday that Falk and England keeper Hannah Hampton deserved praise in the shootout. "We have to give credit to the goalkeepers who really owned that moment last night ... with each save that Falk made, she grew in the eyes of the penalty-takers, and so too did Hampton," she said after Falk made four stops to Hampton's two. "Take Magda Eriksson's penalty - it's not a bad penalty just because she hit the woodwork. That happened because she wanted so much of a margin against Hampton in goal that she aimed to put it closer to the post than she would normally have done. That's good goalkeeping," Lindahl explained. The shootout drew scathing criticism from fans on social media, with many using it as an argument against the women's game. Studies have shown, however, that the conversion rates in penalty shootouts are similar between women and men, with both achieving success rates around 75 to 80%. Lucy Bronze converted her first ever penalty for England -- and her team's decisive shot -- despite being hampered by hamstring tightness, with a rocket that measured 102.51 kph, the third fastest goal of the tournament so far.
Free Malaysia Today
2 days ago
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Swatch profits plunge on weak China sales
Sales to Chinese wholesalers fell by 30% during the first half of the year and were down by 15% in Swatch's retail stores.(EPA Images pic) ZURICH : Swatch Group said today that weak sales in China wiped out growth elsewhere in the first half of the year for the world's top watch company, leaving it barely profitable. Net sales fell 11.2% to CHF3.1 billion (US$3.8 billion), while net profit plunged 88% to CHF17 million. 'The decline in sales is exclusively attributable to China,' the company said, adding that sales in other regions reached record levels set in 2023 and 2024. Besides its eponymous Swatch watches, the company owns high-end brands such as Omega, Longines and Tissot, and like other luxury firms the demand of Chinese consumers for Western goods has made it a top market. However, Swatch said the region's share in total sales have fallen from a third to just under a quarter as China's economy has struggled, with a real estate crisis hampering consumption by many households. Sales to Chinese wholesalers fell by 30% during the first half of the year and were down by 15% in Swatch's retail stores. However, Swatch said it has seen the first signs of improvement in China and expects an improved market environment in the second half of the year. Meanwhile, first half sales growth reached double digits in North America, India, Turkey, Middle East and Australia. 'The US, Japan and India continue to have great growth potential,' it said, adding it expects utilisation of its production capacity to rise in the second half of the year thanks to new product launches.
Reuters
2 days ago
- Sport
- Reuters
England beat Sweden in sensational penalty shoot-out to reach Women's Euro semis
ZURICH, July 17 (Reuters) - England beat Sweden 3-2 in an astonishing penalty shootout that featured 14 attempts to reach the Women's Euros semi-finals on Thursday after the reigning champions had fought back from 2-0 down to force the game to extra time. It was a thrilling climax to a game in which England teetered on the brink of elimination, only to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. In all, Sweden keeper Jennifer Falk saved four penalties, but she skied the potentially winning spot kick over the bar, throwing a lifeline to England that they gleefully grabbed. Lucy Bronze fired the holders into the lead before Swedish teenager Smilla Holmberg blasted her effort high over the crossbar to end the contest. It all looked so different for the Swedes as they roared into an early lead, Stina Blackstenius teeing up captain Kosovare Asllani to score in the second minute after England gave the ball away cheaply, and Blackstenius then out-ran Jess Carter to score with a confident finish herself in the 25th minute. The Swedes looked more than comfortable throughout the first half as England floundered. Following the interval coach Sarina Wiegman rang in the changes, bringing on Beth Mead, Michelle Agyemang and Esme Morgan in the 70th minute, and the introduction of Chloe Kelly a few minutes later added even more attacking verve. Bronze pulled a goal back for England in the 79th minute, meeting Kelly's cross and heading home from a tight angle to re-ignite the white-clad fans in the crowd and Agyemang levelled two minutes later with a superb poacher's finish to send the game to extra time. Both sides had their fair share of chances in extra time but the game went to penalties, and though the Swedes missed their first spot kick, Falk's superb saves soon put them in the driving seat. She had the chance to win it but she sent her kick high over the bar, and though she saved from Grace Clinton, Bronze beat her from the spot. After Sofia Jakobsson's miss, the pressure proved too much for the 18-year-old Holmberg, who fired over. "Right now, I don't know, I don't know," England keeper Hannah Hampton, who suffered a bloody nose in the game, said when asked how she felt after the dramatic victory. "It's just all gone so quick, like that last little bit in the penalty shootout, but... we're very happy, obviously, you can see all the celebrations going around." Wiegman breathed a sigh of relief at the final whistle. "It was hard. One of the hardest games I've ever watched. Very emotional. We could've been out four or five times during the game. When you're 2-0 down at halftime, it's not good," she said. "We started really badly and then at the end of the first half we got better and in the second half we got better but we didn't create anything so we had to change shape. Then we scored two goals so that was crazy already. "Then we go into extra-time, some players injured, some players cramping, Hannah Hampton with blood all over the place, then we go to the penalty shootout and we miss a lot but they miss even more and we're through," she added. England will face Italy in Geneva on Tuesday for a place in the final.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
England stages dramatic comeback to force extra time against Sweden in Euro 2025 quarterfinals
ZURICH (AP) — Defending champion England staged a remarkable late recovery from two goals down to take its quarterfinal against Sweden to extra time on Thursday at the Women's European Championship. England had been trailing almost from the start after Kosovare Asllani fired Sweden in front with less than two minutes on the clock and Stina Blackstenius doubled Sweden's lead in the 25th. With 12 minutes remaining, England looked set to be heading for an early exit. It would have been the first time the Lionesses had failed to reach the semifinals of a major tournament since 2013. However, substitute Chloe Kelly had an immediate impact with two wonderful crosses leading to two goals in the space of two minutes — from Lucy Bronze and teenage substitute Michelle Agyemang. The winner will face Italy in the semifinal in Geneva on Tuesday. ___ AP soccer:
