England’s footballers defended the European Championship title. The team of successful trainer Sarina Wiegman won 3-1 in the penalty in the endgame of the tournament in Switzerland on Sunday. After regular playing time and extension, it had stood 1: 1 (0: 1, 1: 1).
Mariona Caldentey from FC Arsenal put Spain in Basel in Basel (25th), her teammate from the Champions League winner, Alessia Russo, managed to equalize after the change of sides (57.). In the penalty shootout, the Britishes then showed the better nerves as in the quarter -finals against Sweden.
The “Lionesses” also achieved the revenge for the 0-1 defeat in the World Cup final two years ago in Sydney. And Wiegman celebrated her European Championship Hattrick. After the title 2017 with the Netherlands, she now won the trophy twice in a row with England. Only Tina Theune had done this with Germany (1997, 2001, 2005).
England’s trainer Sarina Wiegman defied all critics with her third European Championship title.
Wiegman: “The most chaotic tournament I’ve ever experienced”
“I just can’t believe it at all“, said Wiegman, who added to the 1-2 defeat in the opening game against France and the almost out of the quarter and semi-finals: “It was the most chaotic tournament that I have ever experienced on the field. ”
“I’m so proud of this team and so grateful that I can stand here”said Chloe Kelly, who converted the last penalty. The attacker announced a lavish party night of the “Queens of Europe”: “It just gets incredible. I hope that all of England will come out, celebrate with us and simply show how great love is for this team.”
Russo and Hemp award English leadership
The 34,250 fans in the sold-out St. Jakob-Park saw a gripping game right from the start, in which both teams went to work with enormous intensity. Spain was facing an opponent in his sixth tournament game for the first time who was not only compactly covered and waited for swelling moments, but initially ran aggressively.
Lauren Hemp (M.) missed the great opportunity for English leadership.
An approach with which the Iber women had their difficulties. In the 19th minute, keeper Cata Cata played a pass directly into the feet of Lauren Hemp, who then failed with her shot. Shortly after the kick -off, Coll prevented the 0-1 with an almost identical parade against Russo (3rd).
Caldentey puts Spain in the lead with header
In the initial phase, the “Lionesses” could have scored two goals against defensively susceptible Spaniards. Maybe even have to. But the English truth also includes that the Wiegman team could have been 0: 3 in front of the goal with Caldentey. Esther González (9th, 11th) and Caldentey (21st) had good chances for the world champions, who became more and more dominant with increasing play.
And goalkeeper number four then led to 1-0. After an attack on the right side, in which the English defended a little too passively, the ball came to Ona Batlle, whose perfect flank Caldentey headed into the corner against the keeper Hannah Hampton’s direction.
England had the better chances up to this 25th minute – but Caldentey makes it 1-0.
England loses the playful line after deficiency
After the lead, the Spaniards clearly had the action against almost only reacting English women under the break. The defending champion, in which attacker Lauren James had to be replaced before half -time (41.), tried in vain to bring the stability and structure of the initial phase into his game again. The break came unquestionably to the British in order to be able to collect something and to work out an idea of how the “red fury” has to get.
Russo meets out of nowhere to equalize
At first, after the change of sides, nothing pointed to England’s comeback. The Wiegman protégés initially looked forward to one Spanish attack after another and had Fortune that the opponent was pleasing but concluded.
And so the ball was suddenly like the frequently cited nothing in the Spanish goal. After the first structured attack since the middle of the first section, the Kelly substitute for James was able to flank to Russo without any significant opponent, which hit 1-1.
“Lionesses” with Extension hatskrick
The compensation noticeably inspired the English women. Suddenly the courage and mummy of the initial phase were back at the “Lionesses”. Kelly, as with her previous substitutions, once again a very invigorating factor, in the 69th minute with a left -wing shot only missed the lead for the defending champion.
But Spain also had a “Jokerin” who immediately set an accents: The Claudia Pina, which had been substituted for Alexia Putellas, failed with a whopping left shot on Hampton (74th). In the final phase, the Iberians were still pushing for the 2-1 with vehemence, but did not necessarily act enough. This was how it went into extra time – for England for the third time in a row in the KO phase at the final round in Switzerland. Spain had previously only had to go to overtime in the semi -finals against Germany (1-0).
Paralluelo in the extension prevented heroine prevented
In addition, penalty area scenes remained in short supply. Shortly before the end of the first half, Salma Paralluelo would have had to achieve the 2-1 free -standing from a few meters, but hit an air hole (105.+1). Soon afterwards, the substitute awarded another chance (111.). Not much came from the English women. It almost seemed as if the defending champion only wanted to save himself into the penalty shootout. And finally that was achieved.
Hampton becomes a “witchiner”
The nerve battle in Basel therefore headed for its climax. And in this Hampton became a heroine with two parried penalty against Caldentey and Aitana Bonmatí. In addition, Paralluelo shot her attempt by left. At the defending champion, two shooters also failed in Beth Mead and Leah Williamson, but the successful penalties by Alex Greenwood, Niamh Charles and Kelly were in the end to the triumph.
The rest was limitless English cheers and great grief on the part of the Spaniards. “I have the feeling that we actually deserved more. We had a lot of chances”said captain Irene Paredes. The 34-year-old drew a positive conclusion despite the hair that was missed in the hair: “Now I’m very sad, but overall I am extremely proud of what we have achieved.”