Women's Euros
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Updated 13s ago
A penalty shootout might be needed to decide the 2025 European Championship final with England and Spain level in extra time.
The world champions dominated the first half of normal time and Mariona Caldentey gave them the lead they deserved with a superb header from Ona Batlle's pinpoint cross.
But England were much improved in the second half and Alessia Russo headed in brilliantly to level the match from another excellent cross, this time from substitute Chloe Kelly.
If the game is still level after extra time, penalties will be needed to determine the European champions.
Bronze has just gone off the pitch with her head in her hands. I think that's the end for her. Charles coming on to replace her.
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A mini-break.
Then 15 more minutes.
Then, if the match is still level, penalties.
105+3' England 1-1 Spain
Wow, two minutes added on and Spain nearly take, what could have been, a decisive lead!
Brilliant, brilliant play from the irrepressible Aitana Bonmati, who finds a glorious pass to the equally excellent Ona Batlle.
Low cross from the byline, slightly behind Paralluelo, who tries the audacious flicked finish rather than the tap in.
No real contact on it and the ball skids away from danger.
See my previous point about Agyemang.
This is the only way Spain can contain Agyemang, who's displaying stunning defensive quality in this game: draw fouls and hope for mercy from the officials.
105' England 1-1 Spain
Michelle Agyemang slides in to win the ball, brushes Guijarro on the follow-through… and the midfielder jumps in the air like a cat who's stepped on a hot tin roof.
A foul is given, which feels soft.
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As substitutes, Vicky Lopez and Salma Paralluelo are providing for Spain what Chloe Kelly and Michelle Agyemang typically do for England at this point in the game: panache and possibility.
They’re breathing life into their team and giving them more of a consistent edge, though England are defending well to keep themselves above water.
102' England 1-1 Spain
I wonder if England keeping Lucy Bronze, who is basically on one leg, on the field rather than replacing her with a fresh and fully fit Niamh Charles is a decision with penalties in mind.
Bronze scored a cathartically and brilliantly powerful penalty against Sweden and her experience and cool head could be crucial on the field if we reach a shootout.
But we may not get there if Bronze, hobbling around, cannot deal with a nippy attacker like Claudia Pina and England concede…
To state the obvious, this has been an excellent game of football.
Two top-quality sides going at each other.
100' England 1-1 Spain
Three figures on the clock now.
Lucy Bronze is back on the pitch and is continuing.
Hmm.
98' England 1-1 Spain
Lucy Bronze has tweaked something. She is such a battler but she is now down in real trouble, face down in the turf, features contorted with pain.
She will surely have to come off here.
And Niamh Charles is getting ready to come on.
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Vicky Lopez dribbles like Barcelona team-mate Caroline Graham Hansen: upright and centered, but with gazelle-like strides and the mind of a magician.
Except Lopez is 19, and she’s dribbling this way in her first European Championship final against the reigning champions, unfazed and dangerous.
96' England 1-1 Spain
Lauren Hemp is late on Aitana Bonmati.
Yellow card.
I wonder if that will have an effect on Hemp coming off sooner than she otherwise might have.
I reckon Alessia Russo might have stayed on a bit longer had she not been booked.
I disagree with Laia. Spain look the fresher side here.
England looked tired at the end of normal time. Lots of caffeine gels and energy drinks were consumed.
My toes are curling at every Spain goalscoring opportunity!
I have the feeling that England have taken the game into comfortable territory.
They've gone into extra time in all their knockout matches, and we all know how those have gone.
I am concerned about Michelle Agyemang.
She just doesn't have the know-how to see out key moments in the game, a small foul here or there.
I hope I'm proved wrong.
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91' England 1-1 Spain
Batlle finds Vicky Lopez, nice lively run into the box, past Greenwood, stands up the cross to the back post, Bronze nods it behind.
Stanway away, Hampton collects the cross from the second phase of play.
England have played a whole lot more football at this tournament than Spain; the reigning champions have gone to extra time in each of their knockout matches.
They're going to have to dig deep here to summon their last reserves of energy to try and win it before the dreaded possibility of a penalty shootout.
Stamina could well determine who has the legs to become European champions.
Extra time again.
Substitute Beth Mead kicks us off in the first half of extra time.
Can either side find a winner or will it be penalties again?
