Sarina Wiegman hailed Chloe Kelly for “thriving on” producing within the large moments after her 119th-minute objective despatched England into the Euro 2025 ultimate.
The Arsenal winger stepped as much as fireplace the Lionesses via to Sunday’s showpiece within the ultimate minute of additional time, changing the rebound after her preliminary penalty was saved on one other evening of excessive drama.
England have been heading for the exit door till Michelle Agyemang’s very important strike within the 96th minute gave them the reprieve of that extra half hour.
It was Agyemang’s third objective in 4 England caps – and her second late equaliser to maintain their knock-out hopes alive in as many matches. Wiegman’s evaluation of the 19-year-old’s burgeoning Lionesses profession was emphatic. “What a talent she is,” she advised ITV Sport.
She was equally glowing of Kelly, who had produced two assists in England’s eventual penalty shoot-out win over Sweden within the quarter-finals, earlier than revitalising them from the suitable flank once more in opposition to Italy regardless of solely approaching within the 77th minute.
“I think Chloe thrives on these moments,” Wiegman stated. “She’s enthusiastic about them, she loves these moments. You possibly can inform.
“We all the time had the chance to carry recent gamers on who carry quite a lot of high quality.
“We ended up with more players up front, which was necessary because it was a wall we had to find a hole in. They did really good.
“While you go a objective down and have to return from behind in opposition to Italy, you’ve got an issue.
“We had some serious challenges. We didn’t play well in the first half, we had a lot of the ball but we didn’t have the energy.
“The second half was higher however they defended very well, and there wasn’t a lot area within the ultimate third.”
Kelly is but to begin a recreation on the match however had no resentment over her lack of minutes after her newest match-winning contribution, and as a substitute targeted on the character and resilience of her team-mates in getting themselves out of jail for the second match in a row.
They’d trailed Sweden by two targets into the 79th minute in final Thursday’s eventual win and had lower than two minutes of damage time remaining to salvage the semi-final with Italy earlier than Agyemang’s equaliser.
Once more, substitutes proved pivotal in England’s success as they’ve achieved all through Wiegman’s tenure, with Kelly main the cost – and the clamour for her to begin Sunday’s ultimate with both Germany or Spain more likely to solely develop louder consequently.
“This team fights back, we have that resilience,” she advised ITV Sport. “But hopefully we can make it a bit easier for ourselves in the final.
“It is an unbelievable feeling. This staff deserve nothing however that. Three finals on the bounce however we wish extra.
“The penalty wasn’t supposed to go like that but I was just ready for the rebound! I was confident but the keeper did her homework.”
Bronze: We do not do issues the simple method
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Chloe Kelly scores a rebound off her personal penalty to ship England into the Euro 2025 ultimate as they give the impression of being to defend their title.
England’s victory was their fourth to require further time from seven knock-out video games below Wiegman, however the first time they’ve confronted a further half-hour in the identical match.
It was additionally the third recreation of 5 the place they’ve needed to come from behind, with 5 of their 15 targets in Switzerland to date coming from substitutes.
“We don’t do things the easy way it seems in this tournament but we find a way to win,” defender Lucy Bronze stated.
“Whether that’s the 96th minute, and then the [119th] minute – we just dig deep and find a way to get the goals.
“We confirmed resilience within the final recreation, Italy performed an excellent recreation within the first half in the present day however we confirmed resilience and battle to get again into it as we’ve a lot at this match.
“We looked a little bit lethargic once we got going, and then they got the goal. Being 1-0 down in a semi-final isn’t easily to take mentally.”
