England's late show stuns Italy as super-subs seal final spot

GENEVA -- England saved their Euro 2025 run with minutes to spell against Italy arsenic the Lionesses made it done to the last with a 2-1 triumph successful other time.

Barbara Bonansea, 34, struck successful the archetypal fractional and England had nary reply arsenic they looked abbreviated of inspiration up front, but super-substitute Michelle Agyemang was brought connected with six minutes to spell and calmly hammered location from adjacent scope to drawback a precocious equalizer.

A bushed Italy past faded successful other clip arsenic the defending champions won a punishment successful the 118th minute, missed by Chloe Kelly but past converted connected the rebound, to acceptable up a last against either Spain oregon Germany successful Basel connected Sunday.

- Women's Euro 2025 bracket, results and fixtures schedule

England permission it late

England are surviving immoderate charmed beingness successful Switzerland. No wonderment the etymology of Agyemang is "saviour of the nation." The Lionesses should person been knocked retired 5 times against Sweden -- according to their precise ain manager Sarina Wiegman -- and against Italy, they waited until the 96th infinitesimal to get their equalizer. Of course, it was Agyemang again.

And past the winner? Of people it was Kelly who tapped location the rebound from her ain saved penalty. It is conscionable a singular existence.

Against Sweden, Agyemang scored England's equalizer which forced other clip and past that chaotic punishment shootout. And Agyemang was Wiegman's "Hail Mary" arsenic England ticked ever person to the impending doom of decision here. Again, the Agyemang rotation of the dice (with six minutes near connected the clock) paid off. Her decorativeness -- implicit with a treble nutmeg -- was objective and calm for 1 truthful young (19) and capable to unit other time.

Then successful other clip her delightful lob was conscionable an inch distant from giving England the lead, but it deed the bar. Eventually it was Kelly who managed to decorativeness from adjacent scope erstwhile her punishment was brilliantly saved. And that was that.

If we are being critical, some introductions disconnected the seat came excessively late. Wiegman is rigid with her substitutions, truthful it was astonishing to spot Beth Mead introduced astatine fractional clip - though that looked similar it was due to the fact that of an wounded to Lauren James -- but arsenic England struggled for the breakthrough, Wiegman waited and waited to marque the changes.

Kelly was brought connected successful the 77th minute; Agyemang and Aggie Beever-Jones were introduced successful the 85th minute. Ultimately the switches produced the goods, but it did consciousness similar it was near acold excessively late. -- Tom Hamilton

Italy truthful unlucky

Italy said they had a gameplan. They were steadfast successful Monday's quality league that they had planned for everything and, had it not been for 2 unfortunate lapses, they would beryllium done to the last having frustrated England for 96 minutes.

In each 5 Euro 2025 games, Italy person scored first. They knew a speedy commencement would person England panicking and, contempt the information that the Lionesses clawed backmost a triumph from 2 goals down against Sweden successful the quarterfinals, it took them by surprise.

Italy marked midfielder Keira Walsh retired of the game. She has been the lynchpin holding England's midfield unneurotic for the past 2 tournaments, but similar a batch of different nations, Italy knew removing that menace would unit England to play astir her. They besides had 3 players stuck similar glue to England's game-changer Lauren James earlier she went disconnected injured astatine half-time. And they suffocated the agelong balls into Lauren Hemp and Alessia Russo up front, the mode successful which England person been the astir productive this tournament.

Andrea Soncin's tactical nous astir created the cleanable plan, but it was successful vain. They mislaid attraction successful the last infinitesimal of stoppage time, allowing Agyemang to superbly bargain an equalizer, and a silly foul connected Beth Mead to concede the punishment precocious successful other clip saw them defeated. They came agonizingly close, but it wasn't enough. -- Emily Keogh

England's defence struggles again

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Chloe Kelly sends England fans chaotic arsenic they spell 2-1 up

England fans erupt arsenic Chloe Kelly scores to enactment England 2-1 up against Italy successful the Euro 2025 semifinals.

It's been 1 of the unfortunate trends successful these Euros that England's defence has struggled. They were torn isolated by France, and Sweden had the state of Zurich until the precocious substitutions changed the game. And against Italy, England's defence again looked acold excessively porous. Wiegman shifted things up aft the chaos of the Sweden match, moving Esme Morgan into the squad successful spot of Jess Carter, but England's vulnerability was inactive there.

There were a litany of errors for Italy's extremity -- they should ne'er person been allowed the abstraction to transverse the ball, England should person cleared it aft the archetypal bounce, and Bonansea should ne'er person been near unmarked.

Only Leah Williamson knows however overmuch she was inactive feeling the effects of that turned ankle against Sweden, but the world is that England ne'er looked settled astatine the back. They deficiency a world-class left-back and, arsenic a effect of Alex Greenwood shifting there, they've missed Greenwood's organisation from the middle.

Ultimately they got done the lucifer with an astonishing radical effort, but their backmost 4 (or backmost three) needs shoring up earlier they play Spain oregon Germany. They won't beryllium arsenic forgiving. -- Hamilton

Italy's veterans pb the way

It was a crushing extremity to the tourney for seasoned Italy striker Cristiana Girelli who exited the transportation successful tears successful the 64th infinitesimal with what looked similar a hamstring injury.

Girelli, 35, would person wanted to beryllium determination until the extremity and volition beryllium feeling the nonaccomplishment deeper than anyone. But Italy's reliance connected their seasoned players is thing that has been criticized; Girelli has been the bosom and psyche of this broadside and portion her passionateness is impeccable, her semipermanent spot successful the squad has forced a hold successful bedding successful younger talent.

Still, her accomplishment and quality to play similar she is 10 years younger -- she netted some goals to scope the semifinal against Norway -- was captious to keeping England connected the backmost foot. And her tearful trudge astir the transportation was a people of a subordinate who has fixed everything to the sport, with precise small to amusement for it. Bonansea, meanwhile, was the second-oldest subordinate to people successful Euros past -- down Elisabetta Vignotto (35) during Euro 1989.

While Italy's veterans proved key, determination is besides anticipation for the aboriginal successful 25-year-old starlet Sofia Cantore. She capitalized connected mediocre defending and connection betwixt Greenwood and Morgan to person a tract day. -- Keogh

England acold excessively wasteful up front

While afloat recognition goes to Italy's gameplan and antiaircraft work, England were acold excessively profligate up front, wasting each accidental they had.

A lackluster show similar this volition beryllium surely punished by a ruthless Spain oregon Germany, and Russo was forced to enactment incredibly hard, fto down by a deficiency of bodies successful the container and dropping heavy to assistance successful midfield.

With Italy's 3 defenders against the Arsenal striker, the numerical disadvantage proved excessively overmuch arsenic she could not find a mode through. Lauren Hemp, though incredibly speedy connected the wing, was besides struggling with her crosses. Unable to play done Walsh, England's options were limited, portion Ella Toone and Lucy Bronze were, astatine times, screaming for the walk to beryllium played, but it went unnoticed.

A amended squad would person made England pay; alternatively they got distant with it, again. While Italy's enactment caused England issues, they were the origin of their ain downfall. It is simply a disappointing inclination that is becoming each excessively communal for England, and with lone 5 days until the final, the players volition request to commencement being clinical, oregon they won't support their title. -- Keogh

Italy tin inactive sing

At the full-time whistle, Italy's players fell to the crushed exhausted and heartbroken. The momentum of this ridiculous lucifer yet swung distant from them. But they tin caput distant with their heads held high. From their fans, to the ageless Girelli, to their charismatic manager, Italy person been a fantastic portion of this tournament's narrative.

The sounds successful Geneva volition beryllium of "Sweet, Caroline" playing erstwhile again, arsenic England celebrated. But also, the memories volition beryllium of the Italian anthem, and the sound which their fans made passim the match; the chants of "Girelli" reverberated astir Stade de Geneve and volition beryllium everlastingly portion of this championship.

That volition travel arsenic small consolation, though. Eventually pridefulness volition regenerate those feelings of "what if" but tonight, they'll beryllium replaying those small game-shifting moments connected repeat. You hope, though, that Italy tin usage this momentum and the athletics tin turn further. Italy's fans had to hold 28 years for a Euro semifinal. You anticipation it won't beryllium that agelong a hold again. -- Hamilton