England reach Euro 2022 last 4 with gritty comeback against Spain
Sports Desk, Jul 20 (EFE).- Wednesday’s Women’s Euro 2022 quarterfinal between host nation England and Spain saw La Roja deliver their best performance of the tournament, but the Lionesses conjured an equalizer with six minutes left in regulation and found a winner in extra time to claim the semifinal berth.
Esther Gonzalez put Spain ahead in the 54th minute and La Roja were poised to advance until sub Ella Toone leveled the score in the 84th with a goal that withstood a VAR review for a possible foul by the attackers in the build-up.
Six minutes into the first extra time, Georgia Stanway made it 2-1 for the hosts, who will face Sweden or Belgium in the semifinals.
Spain started the match in front of nearly 29,000 people at Brighton’s Amex Stadium – capacity 31,800 – with a clear plan to dominate possession and their effective high press left England frustrated.
But La Roja continued to suffer from a lack of precision in front of goal and England keeper Mary Earps was never tested in the first half.
Even so, Ellen White’s goal for England off a free-kick in the 37th minute was disallowed for an offside and Spain could be satisfied with a halftime score of 0-0.
La Roja broke through less than 10 minutes into the second half, with much of the credit belonging to Athenea del Castillo, who made a brilliant play to set up Gonzalez’s goal, the first conceded by England in the tournament and only the fourth in the side’s 18 matches under coach Sarina Wiegman.
Earps intervened to snuff out a chance for a second Spanish goal in the 67th minute, yet La Roja seemed comfortably in command right up until Toone’s goal, which stood despite Spain’s heated protests over a penalty that went undetected by the referee and VAR.
EFE
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