England captain Leah Williamson has jokingly apologized to her parents and England fans after the hard-fought 2-1 draw against Spain in the quarter-finals.
Georgia Stanway’s goal to reach the semi-finals came in the overtime of the game (96th minute). “Sorry mom and dad you have to work tomorrow and I delayed your return trip,” Williamson said after the game. “I’m sorry for the entire nation, but I hope you’re as excited as I am.”
Reaching the semi-finals caused great euphoria among English football fans. The Telegraph wrote that the Lionesses fought their way “into the hearts of a nation”. The fact that her team could have been eliminated against the strong Spaniards after going behind was not an issue for Williamson at all. “At no point did we think we were going home,” the Arsenal defender told the BBC. “We have shown that we are resilient and that we can pass such tests.”
Opponents of the English women in next Tuesday’s semifinals are either Sweden or Belgium.