England Women 2-1 Germany Women (AET): Chloe Kelly’s extra-time goal seals Euro 2022 glory for Lionesses
a match report: With 11 minutes remaining, Lina Magull scored to tie the score after Ella Toone gave England the lead in the second half. Chloe Kelly then scored from close range to give England their first major trophy and victory at the European Championships.
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Chloe Kelly’s extra-time goal saw England beat Germany 2-1 and win Euro 2022 in sensational fashion at a packed-out Wembley Stadium.
Kelly’s 110th-minute winner gave England its first significant international victory since the men’s team won the World Cup in 1966 in front of a record-breaking 87,192 spectators.
After lifting the trophy, skipper Leah Williamson exclaimed, “This is the proudest day of my life.” “The legacy of this tournament is a change in society. We’ve brought everyone together and we’ve got people at games. We want people to come to WSL games but the legacy of this team is winners, and it’s the start of a journey.”
After a goalless but thrilling first half, Ella Toone gave the Lionesses the lead with a spectacular lob shortly after the hour mark in a match for the ages.
Keira Walsh’s brilliant pass, which curled the ball around the German defense and into Toone’s path, set up her teammate. She went for the lob when she saw German goalie Merle Frohms off her line and chipped the ball past him to send Wembley into raptures.
In spite of losing their leading scorer Alexandra Popp only minutes before the game began due to injury, eight-time winners Germany weren’t down for long as Lina Magull’s equalizer in the 79th minute proved. When Sydney Lohmann connected with Tabea Wassmuth in the area, the latter’s cross was successfully finished off by the midfielder.
With neither team willing to make a mistake during the first extra time period, England finally broke the tie with 10 minutes left. In the six-yard box, Kelly’s own shot rebounded to her feet after Germany failed to clear a corner. She was present once more to defeat Frohms and secure England’s first big victory.
How England won Euro 2022
In front of a record-breaking crowd at Wembley, it was a cagey start, but England got off to a better start. Within the first four minutes, Fran Kirby delivered a cross that Ellen White met with a header that was directed directly at Frohms.
In the 25th minute, Germany got their best opportunity of the half. While the Lionesses were attempting to clear a corner kick from Germany, Georgia Stanway unintentionally nodded, and Mary Earps quickly seized the opportunity to score.
Just before halftime, England had a chance to grab the lead. White was selected in the middle by Beth Mead, but the striker leaned while she hit the ball, which caused the ball to rise beyond the crossbar.
Five minutes after the half, Germany ought to have taken the lead. After finding herself a tiny bit of space, Magull pushed the ball just wide of the post, and then Toone gave England the lead shortly after the hour mark.
Soon after, Martina Voss-team Tecklenburg’s ought to have tied the score. Magull attempted to challenge England once more, but her curling shot only connected with the goal post. With 11 minutes left, Earps was there to recover the rebound, but she was powerless to stop Magull from tying the score.
It was a typical overtime session where neither team wanted to reveal anything. Against the Germans, a painful penalty shootout appeared to be in the cards.
As England finished the game to make history, Kelly, who was only 24 years old, scrambled in the game’s winning goal to throw Wembley into overdrive.
Wiegman: It was a fighting game, but who cares?
England Women manager Sarina Wiegman told BBC:
“We won the cup. It is just unbelievable. I don’t even remember what you’ve asked me! I don’t know what’s going on!
On what makes this team so resilient: “Do you have half an hour? If you really want to become better every single day, that is what you need to do.
“The players have wanted to do it together and we agreed on a couple of things about behaviour, and it wasn’t just words.
“We lived it, and this is the result. With Germany it was so tight, and it was a bit of a fighting game, but who cares? “We’re European champions.
“I told the players we needed five more minutes as we’d already broken two barriers against Spain and we had to do it again for 15 minutes.
“I don’t have any secrets. I just need some time to figure out what’s going on. The trophy is pretty heavy – I would know!”
Mead wins Golden Boot and Player of the Tournament
Mead won the Golden Boot and Player of the Tournament, adding two new personal honors to her trophy case despite not scoring in the Wembley final.
Before the final, the winger and Alexandra Popp were tied with six goals each. However, the Germany captain was hurt during the warm-up, and Mead won the award because she had contributed five assists to the competition. Popp, for her part, had none.
With four goals, including the incredible backheel versus Sweden that will be remembered for years, Alessia Russo also placed third.
Mead was also named Player of the Tournament by a specially constituted UEFA panel, marking a remarkable about-face from her exclusion from the Team GB Olympic selection a year earlier.
“I can’t believe it, sometimes football puts you down but bouncing back is the best way and that is what we have done,” she said.
“I am speechless, I can’t take it all in, I am still in shock. I can’t believe we’ve won it, I just can’t, it’s mad. I am so, so proud of this team. I love this team and I love this country.”
Germany’s Lena Oberdorf also took home the Young Player of the Tournament trophy, having had a breakout Euro 2022 at the age of just 20 years old.
Reaction to the Lionesses’ victory
The Queen: “My warmest congratulations, and those of my family, go to you all on winning the European Women’s Football Championships. It is a significant achievement for the entire team, including your support staff. The Championships and your performance in them have rightly won praise. However, your success goes far beyond the trophy you have so deservedly earned. You have all set an example that will be an inspiration for girls and women today, and for future generations. It is my hope that you will be as proud of the impact you have had on your sport as you are of the result today.”
Voss-Tecklenburg: England are deserved champions
Germany head coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg:
“Let’s differentiate between football and feelings. Let’s start with the footballing things, first half ball possession was more on the English side. They put pressure on us. They got a few free-kicks, we lacked courage sometimes.
“We managed to have some attacks which was good. I’m thinking about the situation at 0-0, there was a clear situation in the box which was a clear handball. VAR looked at it but didn’t give it. Why didn’t the referee look at it? That hurt a little.
“We wanted to play courageously to get the first goal and play with a high press. When we actually had the ball more, we conceded the goal. In extra-time the 2-1 was just a bit unlucky. Maybe the penalty should have decided it.
“England are deserved champions. They win hard like that and look at the support they have got. If you score two goals against Germany you are deserved champions. Congratulations to them.
“Lots of energy and pride in my team. It was incredibly loud. This will help us in the future. We gave our all on the pitch, not everything worked, but we gave sweat, fight and energy. That’s very sad, you can’t find the right words to tell the team. I just have to process that. We came to win the game, but we didn’t manage that. Maybe tomorrow I will have a different feeling on it.
“Runners-up sounds pretty good, but it hurts a little bit. Only one team could win today, we might need a little more time to digest that.
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