analysis
Defending champions live longer: England seemed almost excreted in the quarter -finals against Sweden. But the team of coach Sarina Wiegman showed impressive comeback qualities and, thanks to the 3: 2 (2: 2, 0: 2) successes in penalty shooting in the semi-finals-also because Lucy bronze could not stop anything.
Give up and leave the place before the end of the game? That was out of the question for Lucy Bronze! Shortly before the end of the extension, the 33 -year -old even treated her damaged thigh himself – in order to help her team in the approaching penalty shootout.
The FIFA World Footballer from 2020 sat on the lawn in the Letzigrund stadium in Zurich and bandaged her right thigh. It was almost too cheesy that the defender started the decisive penalty for England shortly afterwards. With the right and with full force, the leading player chased the ball into her stitches and screamed her joy with a view towards the British fan curve.
England defender Bronze: “rely on me”
“I had to take a lot of responsibility in the penalty shootout”she said in the ARD interview afterwards. “We had a lot of young players on the pitch and some disappointing penalty. As older and experienced players, others rely on me.” You knew “The fact that I have to give the other self -confidence. The only thing I could do was to shoot the penalty.”
Sweden could have compensated again, but Smilla Holmberg shot over the goal and made an almost European championship comeback perfect for the Wiegman team. In the semi -finals, England will meet outsiders Italy next Tuesday (9 p.m.) in Geneva.
Discussions about Wiegman had already started
In the first half, when the Swedes were still clearly superior to the English and led 2-0, some British journalists in the stands had already speculated whether the game would be the last of the successful trainer for the association.
The Dutchman had the “Lionesses” Three years ago at the home European Championships led to the first title. Most recently, England missed the Nations League final. And even in the European Championship preliminary round, they looked anything but good against France (1: 2).
Only the young goalkeeper Hannah Hampton was thanks to the fact that shortly before the break did not fall 0: 3. The parade against Fridolina Rolfö kept the defending champions in the game (45.+1).
England brings back mistakes from Sweden’s goalkeeper Falk brings back
The truth also includes: Although England played much better in the second half, the goal was only after a clear mistake by Sweden’s Jennifer Falk. The previously strong goalkeeper undertook a cross -flank – bronze hit the long post to 1: 2 in the empty goal (79.).
“We really had problems coming into the game. We needed the substitutions to change the picture. It is a great quality of the team that can fight back.”
Wiegman had already pulled all the registers: prescribed several changes in the position for her players, changed the system and changed four times.
Jokerin Chloe Kelly, who scored the decisive goal in the final against Germany in 2022 in 2022, prepared Bronzes goal with the flank. In the compensation, three players who had come before. Again Kelly brought the ball into the middle. There he crashed from Beth Mead to Michelle Agyemang, and the strong center forwarder pushed ice cold to 2: 2 (81.).
Pens shooting becomes a False shot festival
The penalty shootout was again a drama for itself. Only five of out of a total of 14 shooters met – a historical negative record at an EM. The English women failed four times. Hampton, who had recently got a bloody nose, only lasted twice, but prevented it with the strong parade against Sofia Jakobsson.
Then came bronze – and the false shot from Holmberg. The rest was English cheers.
“I’m tired, but also very happy that we won”said Hampton, who was declared the game’s player. “We said at halftime that we didn’t want to go home yet. We wanted to shoot the game – and we did that.”
Even Wiegman von Bronze was enthusiastic about
Wiegman praised the goalkeeper in the highest tones – however, the trainer had made Lucy Bronze almost speechless. “I’ve never seen a player like her – and I know a lot of players”said the 55-year-old. “What she did, the mentality she showed and how she shot the penalty. I think the only way to leave the place would be in a wheelchair.”