England 2-1 Italy (aet): Euro 2025 semi-final – as it happened

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Suzanne Wrack was at Stade de Genève and her verdict is in. Here it is. Congratulations to the Lionesses, commiserations to Le Azzurre, and thanks to you for reading this MBM.

England 2-1 Italy: Women’s Euro 2025 semi-final player ratings

Sarina Wiegman’s turn to speak with ITV. “Relief … when you score so late in normal time … and extra time … then a penalty we score on the rebound … coming behind against Italy, you know you have a problem … we had some serious challenges … the first half we didn’t play well … the second half we did better … they defended really well, too … a lot of blocks … really aggressive and winning lots of duels … really happy now we’re going to the final … we always had the opportunity to bring fresh players in … a lot of quality … we had to get a hole in the wall … [Chloe Kelly] thrives on these moments … she is excited … she loves them, you can tell … [Michelle Agyemang] is a talent, what a talent … we never give up … we can win by any means … this team just keeps going, we never give up.”

Michelle Agyemang talks to ITV. “I’m so proud of the team’s fight and effort … we were down … to show that character and fight … it’s the strength of this team … it means the world to me … I’m so grateful … four years ago I was throwing a ball to some of these girls and now I’m playing with them … everything went in a flash … we knew we were going to get a chance … we took them and got the win … so special … it was a great team moment … it’ll live in my heart forever … we’re going to enjoy the moment … one more game left, and we’re ready for it.”

Lucy Bronze speaks to ITV. “We don’t do things the easy way … we find a way to win … we found a way to get the goals and get the ball in the back of the net … so proud … Italy played a good game in the first half … we showed a lot of resilience and fight … we were lethargic … the subs make such an impact … the importance of the squad … the people who come on make a difference … there’s been a lot of criticism over the years over consistency … we don’t always win but what other team has got to three consecutive finals and six consecutive semi-finals … that’s crazy … it’s not an easy feat … not many teams have done that.”

Spain or Germany? “Don’t care … they’re both fantastic teams … both played unbelievable … it’s either a rematch of the Euros final or the World Cup final … either way it’s going to be a fantastic game tomorrow and an amazing final!”

England’s match-winning hero Chloe Kelly speaks to ITV. “Unbelievable … such a great feeling … three finals on the bounce and we want more … it’s an unbelievable feeling … that penalty wasn’t supposed to go like that … but I was ready for the rebound … luckily I got there for the tap-in … [Michelle Agyemang] is at it again … she’s an unbelievable player … she’s got the world at her feet … a bright future … I’m buzzing for her … this team shows resilience … we have hope … belief … the quality … we need to keep at it to make sure we’re right next weekend.”

Italy are as devastated as England are ecstatic. Plenty of tears. Their captain Cristiana Girelli is one of many distraught. Several other players stunned by England’s smash-and-grab raid. Their plan nearly paid off … and would have done had Emma Severini slotted from a couple of yards with regulation time running out. But she didn’t have the ice-cool touch that Michelle Agyemang would display moments later, and here we all are. Italy put up a fine show, and got further than many expected them to. But having got so close to the final, it’ll be almost impossible to take a measured view on their achievements right now.

Italy’s Cristiana Girelli (right) and Lucia Di Guglielmo look dejected after their semi-final defeat. Photograph: Piroschka Van De Wouw/Reuters

England cavort in delight! Michelle Agyemang and Chloe Kelly the heroes yet again! They all link arms and advance towards their fans, skipping and leaping with delight. Another victory snatched from the jaws of defeat! This one in much more dramatic fashion than the quarter-final win over Sweden, and that was enough of a rollercoaster. Agyemang swept home a late, late equaliser, then nearly won it towards the end of extra time with an audacious improvised lob. But moments later Kelly missed a penalty, but rammed home the rebound. From the middle of a huddle, a delighted Sarina Wiegman gives one last pep-talk of the evening. England are through to yet another final!

England players celebrate in front of their fans. Photograph: Piroschka Van De Wouw/Reuters

The England fans reciprocate the celebrations. Photograph: Alessandra Tarantino/AP

England will take the defence of their trophy all the way! They’re through to the final, where they’ll face either Spain or Germany on Sunday!

England’s scorers Chloe Kelly (top right) and Michelle Agyemang (bottom) celebrate after final whistle. Photograph: Jean-Christophe Bott/AP

ET 30 min +4: Mead is booked for a late clip on Caruso. Giuliani sends the resulting free kick long, but England knock it back upfield, and …

ET 30 min +3: Italy throw everyone forward, but now it’s England’s turn to hold their shape. The Lionesses so close now!

ET 30 min +2: Italy’s bench in floods of tears. Their coach Andrea Soncin, fuming, thinks about storming off down the tunnel but is encouraged to come back.

ET 30 min +1: Greenwood is replaced by Carter in the first of three additional minutes.

ET 30 min: Kelly stands by the corner flag, and strikes a pose. Kelly and Agyemang have done it again!

Kelly takes a hop and a step, aims for the bottom-left corner, and … Giuliani saves! But the ball rebounds to Kelly, who forces the ball into the net from close range! What a turnaround!

Italy’s keeper Laura Giuliani saves a penalty from England’s Chloe Kelly. Photograph: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters

Kelly (second right) beats teammate Ella Toone to the follow up and sticks the ball home. Photograph: Nick Potts/PA

Kelly celebrates. Photograph: Denis Balibouse/Reuters

Scenes ptII. Photograph: Denis Balibouse/Reuters

ET 28 min: Hemp’s cross comes in from the left. Mead is wrestled to the ground by Severini, shoved from behind. The referee points to the spot! It’s soft, but if you give the referee a decision to make, it’ll sometimes go against you. Severini, who missed that golden chance to put Italy 2-0 up, suffers another nightmare. Kelly to take.

Referee Ivana Martincic points to the penalty spot after Beth Mead of England is fouled by Emma Severini of Italy. Photograph: Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images

ET 27 min: Agyemang competes with Salvai down the inside-right channel. She enters the box and extends a leg, looping over Giuliani and towards the top-left corner … but off the underside of the bar and away! What an effort!

England’s Michelle Agyemang hits the bar. Photograph: Denis Balibouse/Reuters

ET 26 min: Piemonte sends Oliviero into space down the right. Oliviero crosses low, but there’s nobody in green up with play. England clear, but Clinton ships possession cheaply, and Oliviero has another go at crossing from the right. Hampton claims.

ET 25 min: … Agyemang handles. The pressure off Italy. Giuliani does not rush to restart the game.

ET 24 min: Kelly advances down the right and checks back, whipping a cross into the mixer. Linari clears. But Kelly comes again, down the same flank, and wins a corner this time. From which …

ET 22 min: Bronze crosses from the right. Now it’s Giuliani’s turn to pluck the ball from the sky. Both keepers were looking for team-mates making quick breaks upfield, but everyone’s too tired.

ET 21 min: Caruso floats the free kick into the box. Hampton comes off her line to claim.

ET 20 min: No quarter asked or given at the moment. Every ball fiercely contested. Too fiercely by Bronze in this instance, as she shoves Severini in the back. A free kick, 25 yards out, just right of centre.

ET 18 min: Kelly robs Caruso down the right and crosses. Agyemang lurks but Salvai eyebrows away just in time. England come again, Hemp winning a corner down the left. Kelly floats it long, and it’s heading into the top right. Giuliani claws it out, another fine save at this Championship. Nothing comes of the next corner.

Italy goalkeeper Laura Giuliani earns her corn. Photograph: Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images

ET 16 min: Oliviero and Mead tussle down the England left, and fall over. It’s one of those 50-50 challenges that could go either way, but England get the call. Kelly launches the free kick into the mixer, but Bronze can’t meet it at the far stick, and it’s a goal kick.

Italy get the second period of extra time underway. England have made a change, sending on Clinton for Walsh. “We are watching (on Rai1) in our hotel room in Naples,” reports Sarah Godfrey. “They seem to care so little for women’s football here that we haven’t found a single bar showing the match, even though it’s on terrestrial TV. We’ve drunk the half bottle of wine from the minibar, the hotel bar closes in 20 minutes and the only room service offering is a €50 bottle of Prosecco. But after watching the quarter-final shootout on BBC iPlayer in a bar in Pompeii, we are all in for as far as this goes. Forza Inghilterra!”

The whistle goes, and everyone can take a breather.

ET 14 min: Greggi wriggles clear of Kelly and Mead, but loses control on the edge of the England box. Mead launches long for Agyemang, who can’t quite get the better of Linari. The game’s suddenly stretched, with everyone looking leggy.

ET 12 min: Linari sticks to Agyemang like glue. Agyemang goes over and wants a free kick, but the ref’s never likely to give it for a 50-50 grapple. This is becoming scrappy. Nobody wants to make the big error.

ET 10 min: Agyemang is full of youthful energy. On top of that, she’ll be buzzing after those absurd heroics. She nearly closes Giuliani down, but the keeper lashes clear just in time.

ET 8 min: Kelly hip-shakes in from the right flank, bamboozling three defenders before entering the box and aiming a curler towards the top left. She gets the shot all wrong, and it’s a goal kick, but what a mesmerising run that was. Had she put the finishing touches to it, she’d have scored a goal for the ages.