Chloe Kelly’s 110th minute strike fired England to the 2022 UEFA Women’s Euro title and ended 56 years of footballing hurt with 2-1 win over Germany in extra-time.
Ella Toone fired England ahead from a 62nd minute through ball by Keira Walsh in front of a record UEFA Women’s Euro crowd of 87,192 fans.
Sarina Wiegman’s Lionesses lead however didn’t last long as Lina Magull equalised from close range in the 78th minute to send the tie to extra-time.
Neither team found a winner in the first half of extra time but substitute, Kelly popped up in the 110th minute from a corner to fire in and seal a historic first major women’s football title on home soil.
This victory also ended 56 years of national footballing hurt in all competitions since the men’s team beat Germany to win the 1966 FIFA World Cup.
England’s Beth Mead meanwhile picked up the Golden Boot as the tournament’s top goalscorer with six goals, although her five assists ultimately sealed the award after Germany’s Alexandra Popp withdrew with injury after warm-up having tied Mead on six goals apiece.
Reflecting post-match on England’s triumph after a “tight game” against their famous arch-nemesis, Wiegman commented: “There was a little bit of fighting, but who cares we won and we are European champions.”
Pre-match, England manager – Wiegman made UEFA Euro history as the first manager to name an unchanged starting line-up throughout a tournament across both men and women’s competition, having retained Ellen White up front ahead of Alessio Russo.
Germany meanwhile named an unchanged line-up from their semi-final win over France as Klara Buhl remained in self-isolation, following her positive Coronavirus test.
Alexandra Popp however picked up an injury during warm-up which resulted in Germany manager, Martina Voss-Tecklenburg switching Lea Schuller from the bench to starting line-up, with Popp not even fit enough for the bench.
Once the match got underway in front of an electric crowd at a sold-out Wembley Stadium, England enjoyed a strong start which saw Fran Kirby cross for Ellen White to head on goal in the fourth minute, only for Merle Frohms to save her header.
Frohms was alert a minute later to save Lucy Bronze’s rebound cross from a deep corner, before blocking an offside Beth Mead in the ninth minute.
Germany eventually forced their first opportunity in the 10th minute as Sara Dabritz fired upon goal only for Bronze to head her shot away from goal.
Dabritz two minutes later fired wide of the top left corner as Germany began to exert pressure on the tournament hosts, who were going for a first major title after having lost the 2009 Final to Germany.
England however weathered that little storm and won a 17th minute free-kick after Mead was fouled by Felicitas Rauch, with Kathrin Hendrich eventually nodding the ball behind for a corner with Frohms blocking Georgia Stanway’s cross to White.
Frohms then was alert to deny Bronze’s header from a subsequent corner kick.
Both teams then exchanged chances until Germany won a 25th minute corner, which was saved on the goal line by Mary Earps, amidst a fumble between Leah Williamson and Rachel Daly and a VAR check for a scrappy handball which ultimately came to nothing.
England however finished the half on top despite wasting several chances with their best opportunity fired over unmarked by White in the 38th minute, as she met Mead’s pullback pass from the right flank.
Germany’s Marina Hegering was however lucky to not concede a penalty from a 41st minute free-kick after fouling Lauren Hemp and Bronze in separate incidents, as both teams remained level at the break with this being the first match that Germany this tournament didn’t score in the first half.
Ahead of the second-half, Germany opted to make a change as Jule Brand was dropped for Tabea Wabmuth whilst England remained unchanged with White still up front for the tournament hosts.
Wabmuth’s introduction had the desired effect on Germany who dominated the opening minutes of the second-half, with Earps making several saves including against Wabmuth’s 48th minute strike after she intercepted a fumble from Millie Bright.
Lina Magull then fired wide in the 50th minute from a fast-flowing attack before Wabmuth headed wide one minute later.
Wiegman consequently substituted Kirby and White for Toone and Alessia Russo in the 56th minute but Schuller almost put Germany ahead one minute later, only for her shot to be denied by Earps with Schuller kicking out at the goalkeeper.
Golden Boot leader, Mead then suffered a knock after she collided with Hegering in the 58th minute and couldn’t continue, and was replaced by Kelly in the 64th minute.
Prior to Kelly’s introduction, Toone latched onto Walsh’s 62nd minute through ball to chip in over Frohms, sending home fans wild in celebrations as the hosts broke the deadlock.
Once on the pitch, Kelly quickly involved herself in the action and managed to cut in from the left in the 68th minute, only for Frohms to save her shot and keep Germany in the contest.
Germany thereafter increased their attacking intensity which paid dividends in the 78th minute as another fast-flowing attack found Wabmuth, who swung in a low cross from the right for Magull to rifle in from close range to restore parity.
In the end, neither team found a breakthrough winner as Germany clung on with an injury-time clearance of an England free-kick, which sent the final to extra-time for only the third time in the tournament’s history after 1991 and 2001 which involved Germany who went on to win both finals.
During the break between full-time and extra-time, Magull was substituted for Germany with Linda Dallmann brought on to provide fresh energy in midfield.
A scrappy first-half of extra-time saw very few clear-cut chances as Wiegman’s Lionesses defended heavily, yet enjoyed the best chance as a 95th minute corner found Bronze to shoot but Walsh nicked the ball and her shot was cleared up the other end.
England however started the second-half better with Frohms forced to kick Walsh’s 108th minute shot away from goal, before Kelly eventually forced a 110th minute corner at the right corner-flag.
Hemp whipped in the corner and the ball fell for Kelly to poke in on the second attempt after Frohms blocked her first shot, which lifted the mood of a tense home nation around the country as 56 years of hurt began to draw to its end plus.
Germany tried to respond in the 113th minute but Dallmann’s strike was blocked by Hemp as England proceeded to cling on to their lead, whilst Russo forced a 117th minute save from Frohms in a nervy finish involving two minutes of injury time.
England ultimately clung on to clinch their maiden UEFA Women’s Euro title, plus the country’s first major footballing title since the men’s team won 1966 FIFA World Cup – coincidentally also at Wembley in extra-time against Germany.
Wiegman meanwhile became the first manager to win consecutive Women’s Euro titles with two separate host nations, having won the 2017 tournament with her home country – Netherlands.
As for Germany, this defeat ended their 100% winning record in UEFA Women’s Euro Finals, having won each of their previous eight finals prior to this defeat.
Speaking post-match about becoming England’s hero 14 months after she suffered a serious knee injury, Kelly paid tribute to those who helped her recover and make the squad.
“Thank you to everyone who played a part in my rehab because I always believed that I would be here,” commented Kelly as she proceeded acknowledged her teammates and Wiegman: “But to be here and score the winner, wow. These girls are special, the manager is special and what a special group of staff. This is amazing.”
Teams
England: Mary Earps, Lucy Bronze, Rachel Daly (Greenwood 88′), Millie Bright, Leah Williamson, Keira Walsh, Georgia Stanway (Scott 88′), Fran Kirby (Toone 56′), Lauren Hemp (Parris 120′), Ellen White (Russo 56′), Beth Mead (Kelly 64′)
Substitutes: Alex Greenwood, Jess Carter, Hannah Hampton, Jill Scott, Nikita Parris, Chloe Kelly, Bethany England, Ella Toone, Ellie Roebuck, Lotte Wubben-Moy, Alessia Russo
Germany: Merle Frohms, Giulia Gwinn, Kathrin Hendrich, Marina Hegering (Doorsoun 103′), Felicitas Rauch (Lattwein 113′), Lina Magull (Dallmann 90′), Lena Oberdorf, Sara Dabritz (Lohmann 73′), Svenja Huth, Lea Schuller (Anyomi 67′), Jule Brand (Wabmuth 45′)
Substitutes: Sophia Kleinherne, Lena Lattwein, Sydney Lohmann, Laura Freigang, Almuth Schult, Nicole Anyomi, Linda Dallmann, Tabea Wabmuth, Ann-Katrin Berger, Sara Doorsoun
Referee – Kateryna Monzul (Ukraine)
Attendance – 87,192
Congratulations! Great achievement.