Chloe Kelly of the United Kingdom celebrated the winning goal with teammates Lauren Hemp and Jill Scott at UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 Final game between England and Germany at Wembley Stadium in London, England. England’s Lionesses secured their first-ever victory in a European Championship by defeating Germany in a hard-fought and extra-time on Sunday night. Chloe Kelly’s goal after extra time saw England defeat Germany 2-1 to win the 2022 Euros sensationally at Wembley Stadium. England’s Ellen White and Germany’s Sara Daebritz threatened in the opening stages before Sarina Wiegman’s superb Lionesses had their best opportunity in the first half of the game, in the 38th minute, with Beth Mead cutting back on the right side, which was fired over the crossbar from White.
In front of a record-breaking crowd of 87,192, Kelly’s goal secured the UK’s first major international success since the men’s national team won the 1966 World Cup. In an age-old finale, Toone cut through Lionesses forwards on a lob just past the hour mark following an unbeaten, entertaining first half. Toone gave Sarina Wiegman’s brilliant Lionesses a lead at Wembley with a stylish finish in the 62nd minute. But Germany stunned the hosts as Leena Maghull tied the game 11 minutes from full-time. Substitute Leena Maghull brought Germany back in the women’s Euro Cup final, sending the game to extra time, which many fans in the stadium expected. England had the ball in the box, but then it was Germany who was in the clear; this was a literal back and forth.
The opening spell of extra-time was a cagey affair, neither side wanting to concede, but England broke through 10 minutes from time. England’s extra-time goal was put away by sticking to the ball the whole way. Germany looked somewhat lost, with England looking likely to get a second, but Martina Voss-Tecklenburg decided to play Bayern Munich Sydney Lohmann; this move made a difference, with Germany looking more lively afterwards.
Then Chloe Kelly’s tap-in goal sent an overwhelmed Wembley stadium into overdrive, and England saw the match through, writing their name into history. The poke was England’s 22nd of the tournament, the most ever for a side in any European Championship (men and women), and the hosts were in the position to see this one through, Sarina Wiegman’s ladies side falling on their knees or running all around the pitch, the enormity of their accomplishment hitting them.
England justified their status as one of the tournament’s favourites by crushing second-placed Sweden, 4-0, in their semifinal, while Germany, who came to the Women’s Euro 2022 tournament as something of an unknown quantity, topped France, 2-1. The record-breaking attendance, over 87,000, at the game highlighted how much female football has grown across Europe since England and Germany last played for a continental title 13 years ago.
