Football General Manager
- Absorbing contest finished 1-1 after extra-time
- England held their nerve to prevail on penalties
- Kelly sparked wild celebrations for the Lionesses
The Arsenal forward held her nerve to convert the decisive penalty in a final shootout that saw the Lionesses make history by becoming the first England team to win a major international title on foreign soil.
They have gone back-to-back on the European Championship front, with Kelly having also been the hero when netting an extra-time winner against Germany at Wembley Stadium back in 2022.
After firing home against Spain, Kelly made a point of heading towards the England fans housed behind the net that she just hit. She had to make her way past La Roja goalkeeper Cata Coll, with the pair briefly coming face to face.
Despite Kelly’s eyes being locked firmly on celebrating supporters, Spanish outlet AS claims that the Lionesses star “unnecessarily” diverted her path towards her rival. They said: “This is unnecessary, my friend: Kelly’s cocky gesture to Cata Coll after scoring the decisive penalty. The England specialist changed her run during her penalty celebration to get past the goalkeeper she had just beaten.”
AS went on to suggest that World Cup winners Spain were “robbed” by the Lionesses after dominating much of the 120 minutes prior to an epic shootout. They added: “The dream ends in a nightmare. Spain lost the European Championship on penalties. England tied a match that Spain largely dominated.
“History is made by victories, and also by defeats. Spain fell in the Euro Cup final but left its name sealed in gold. England robbed them of their dream; the world champions couldn’t close the circle they began to write two years ago in Sydney. They couldn’t have been crueler in the penalty shootout, tossing a few dice in the air.”
Sarina Wiegman and her squad will care little for the opinion of others, with England having executed their gameplan perfectly. They were able to frustrate Spain for long periods and walked away with the ultimate prize after displaying commendable fighting spirit.
