Chloe Kelly scored the profitable penalty as England efficiently defended their title at Euro 2025 by beating world champions Spain in a shootout.
Champions on dwelling soil in 2022, England have been underdogs for the ultimate with a Spain facet who beat them within the World Cup remaining in Australia in 2023.
An unconvincing path to the ultimate had finished little to dispel the notion that they might come up second greatest in opposition to Spain, and England fell behind within the twenty fifth when Mariona Caldentey headed La Roja forward.
But Alessia Russo equalised within the 57th minute and, after England efficiently stored Spain at bay in further time, it was they who stored their composure within the shootout, regardless of Beth Mead lacking the primary spot-kick after a retake.
Hannah Hampton saved from Caldentey and Aitana Bonmatí, earlier than Salma Paralluelo dragged her penalty extensive, enabling Kelly, scorer of the winner in opposition to Germany three years in the past, to lash dwelling and seal back-to-back titles for the Lionesses.
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England v Spain
England made a powerful begin and would have taken an early lead if not for Cata Coll, who produced a effective diving save to disclaim Alessia Russo from a good angle after she was performed in down the proper channel by Lucy Bronze.
Spain grew into the sport thereafter and Hampton produced an alert piece of goalkeeping to stop Esther Gonzalez from opening the scoring.
The world champions nearly gifted England an opener when the Lionesses’ press drew a stray go that Lauren Hemp pounced on inside the world, just for Cata Coll to maintain out her highly effective low effort.
And Hemp’s incapability to take that likelihood was punished as Caldentey broke the impasse, heading into the top-right nook from Ona Batlle’s excellent right-wing cross.
England then suffered a setback when Lauren James, who had been a doubt forward of the sport with an ankle subject, was compelled off 5 minutes earlier than the top of regular time within the first half. The Chelsea star was changed by Kelly.
Kelly, instrumental off the bench throughout England’s path to the ultimate, supplied the spark the Lionesses required 12 minutes into the second half, her beautifully positioned left-wing cross discovering the top of Russo, whose end looped past a helpless Cata Coll and into the bottom-left nook.
England continued within the ascendancy after levelling and Kelly almost accomplished the turnaround when she shot throughout aim on the finish of a neat transfer. The wonderful Cata Coll was equal to her effort, nevertheless, turning it behind the submit.
Spain launched Claudia Pina in tempo of Alexia Putellas and he or she went near delivering an immediate influence, her near-post drive turned over by Hampton.
La Roja dictated phrases within the first interval of additional time with out creating a lot in the way in which of probabilities, probably the most nervous second of the half for England coming when the spectacular Batlle fizzed a harmful low ball throughout the face of aim, with no Spain participant capable of finding the telling contact.
England stalwart Lucy Bronze was withdrawn attributable to damage throughout the additional time interval, and one other damage blow got here late within the second interval as Georgia Stanway was compelled off after Vicky Lopez curled over for Spain as they laboured to attempt to break the Lionesses down.
They have been unable to take action, and that failure finally proved essential, despite the fact that Spain took the lead within the shootout after Mead was denied by Cata Coll having been dominated to have unintentionally kicked the ball twice on her first try.
Patri Guijarro put Spain in entrance however, after Alex Greenwood discovered the web, Hampton dove to her left to thwart Caldentey. She then saved brilliantly from Bonmati after Niamh Charles’ assured penalty and, although Leah Williamson noticed her spot-kick saved, Paralluelo’s miss teed up Kelly to etch her identify into England historical past as soon as once more.
