Geneva, Switzerland – Reigning champions England showcased their incredible resilience once again, coming from behind to defeat Italy 2-1 in extra-time on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, securing their place in the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 final. Chloe Kelly scored a dramatic winner in the 119th minute, completing a stunning turnaround at the Stade de Genève.
Italian Surprise and English Resolve
Italy, considered surprise semifinalists and ranked 13th in the world, had put England on the brink of elimination. Barbara Bonansea opened the scoring for the Azzurre in the 33rd minute. The Juventus player received an impressive cross from Sofia Cantore, who reached the right byline, and lashed a shot into the roof of the net from close range.
However, Sarina Wiegman’s Lionesses, fresh from a remarkable comeback from two goals down against Sweden in last week’s quarterfinal (which they won on penalties), demonstrated their fighting spirit once more.
Substitutes Make the Difference
England’s bench proved pivotal in turning the tide. Michelle Agyemang, the teenage Arsenal forward, came on as a substitute and forced extra time by equalising in the 96th minute. Goalkeeper Laura Giuliani had failed to hold an awkward cross, and Agyemang pounced on the rebound, blasting it in.
Fellow substitute Chloe Kelly then completed the dramatic turnaround. In the 119th minute, after Beth Mead was pushed over in the box for a penalty, Kelly’s initial spot-kick was saved by Giuliani. However, Kelly reacted quickest to convert the rebound, sending England into their third consecutive major tournament final.
Road to the Final and Challenges Faced
Sarina Wiegman’s team is now heading to Basel for Sunday’s showpiece event, scheduled for July 27. There, they will face either Spain, in a repeat of the 2023 Women’s World Cup final which England lost, or Germany, mirroring the last Euro final where England triumphed at Wembley. Germany and Spain are set to meet in their semifinal on Wednesday.
This victory followed a challenging build-up for England, particularly concerning instances of racial abuse directed at Jess Carter during the tournament, which drew strong condemnation from coach Wiegman and the England squad. England played with the backing of the majority of the 26,539 fans in attendance in Geneva.
Despite Italy looking fresher for much of the game, and England’s Alessia Russo and Lauren James coming closest in the first half without scoring, the Lionesses maintained pressure. Crucially, Hannah Hampton made a vital double save in the 86th minute to deny Michela Cambiaghi and Emma Severini, preventing Italy from extending their lead and proving instrumental in England’s eventual comeback.
Discussion about this post