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Sweden underline title credentials

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Sweden 4 - 1 Germany Sweden underlined their Euro 2025 credentials with an emphatic 4-1 win over Germany in Zurich, finishing top of Group C and handing the eight-time champions their heaviest ever defeat at a European Championship. Author | Ed Stadium | Stadion Letzigrund Both sides had already secured passage to the quarter-finals, but top spot was still up for grabs in a match that quickly descended into chaos for Germany, who were reduced to 10 players after just half an hour. Germany made the brighter start and struck first in the seventh minute. A superb ball from Carlotta Wamser released Jule Brand, who slotted confidently beyond Jennifer Falk to score the first goal Sweden have conceded at the tournament. But Sweden hit back almost immediately. A turnover high up the pitch allowed Stina Blackstenius to race through and calmly roll the ball past Ann-Katrin Berger to level the scores. Germany continued to show ambition going forward, but their defensive shape unravelled. Sara...

Is football coming home again?

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England v Spain Euro 2025 final preview After a month of continental football played across Switzerland, Euro 2025 will come to a close on Sunday in Basel, where Spain face England in a repeat of the 2023 World Cup final. Author | Lauren W This will be Sarina Wiegman’s fifth consecutive major tournament final as a manager, a remarkable record that underlines her consistency at the highest level. How the sides reached the final England’s path to their 2022 European Championship triumph was largely serene, with six wins from six and only two goals conceded. Their title defence has been far more turbulent. A defeat to France in their opening match was followed by confident victories over the Netherlands and Wales, but they were forced to come from behind against both Sweden and Italy in the knockout rounds. Yet Sarina Wiegman’s side, aided by the strength of their bench, continue to find a way through. READ MORE |  What else has happened at Euro 2025 Spain, by contrast, have loo...

England qualify after dramatic shootout win

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England 2 - 2 Sweden (England won 3-2 on penalties) England mounted a stirring late comeback to keep their European title defence alive Author | Jamie P Stadium | Stadion Letzigrund Lucy Bronze, stepping up as England’s seventh taker, rifled her penalty into the roof of the net before Sweden’s Smilla Holmberg blazed over to bring a wild, error-strewn shootout to a close. It was a chaotic finale, with Sweden converting just two of their seven spot-kicks. Hannah Hampton made two crucial saves, while her opposite number, Jennifer Falk, denied four England efforts but missed a golden chance to seal victory when she sent her own penalty over the bar. Sarina Wiegman’s side had looked dead and buried after falling two goals behind within the first 25 minutes. Kosovare Asllani opened the scoring before Stina Blackstenius added a second, capitalising on England’s laboured start. But the Lionesses clawed their way back, with Bronze nodding in a Chloe Kelly cross and 17-year-old Michelle Agye...

Michelle Agyemang named best young player of Euro 2025

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England fans have a new idol Forward Michelle Agyemang has been named Euro 2025’s young player of the tournament following a series of decisive cameos during the Lionesses’ successful title defence. Author | Olivia T The 19-year-old Arsenal striker featured for just 138 minutes in Switzerland and did not start a single game, yet made a vital impact in key moments.  Her late equalisers against Sweden in the quarter-finals and Italy in the semi-finals proved instrumental in taking England to a dramatic final, where they retained their European crown with a penalty shootout victory over Spain in Basel. Who is Michelle Agyemang? Just a few months ago, Michelle Agyemang was largely unknown to the wider public. At 19, she had been drafted from the England under-19s to step in for Alessia Russo during a Nations League match against Belgium in Leuven. To many reading the headlines when the news was announced, Michelle Agyemang appeared to come from nowhere. A 19-year-old called u...

Italy leave it late against Norway

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Italy 2 - 1 Norway  Italy left it very late to defeat Norway Author | Sophie T Stadium | Stade de Genève Cristiana Girelli scored a dramatic 90th-minute winner to send Italy into the Euro 2025 semi-finals with a 2–1 victory over Norway, setting up the prospect of a meeting with defending champions England. Girelli, the Italy captain, had earlier opened the scoring after a commanding first-half display, only for Ada Hegerberg to cancel it out after recovering from a missed penalty. But with extra time looming, the veteran striker met Sofia Cantore’s cross with a well-timed header to seal Italy’s place in the last four for the first time since 1997. Their semi-final opponents will be confirmed on Thursday, when England take on Sweden in the last of the quarter-finals. A closer look at what happened Italy controlled proceedings in the opening period and were unfortunate not to be ahead at the break. Girelli, Arianna Caruso, Emma Severini and Lucia Di Guglielmo all had chances,...