England sealed their second-successive Euros title in dramatic fashion, after beating world-champions Spain on penalties in the final in Basel.
Mariona Caldentey put Spain ahead in the 25th minute with a header from a pinpoint Ona Batlle cross. England looked lacklustre in the first half and in the 40th minute saw Lauren James go off through injury.
Her replacement, Chloe Kelly, turned the game near the hour-mark with a delightful delivery that was expertly headed in by Alessia Russo.
Neither side found a breakthrough in the remaining 30 minutes as the Lionesses went into extra time for the third successive game. Spain came closest to finding a winner in extra time but England defended bravely to ensure the game went the full distance.
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As was the case in their quarterfinal against Sweden, the shootout was filled with drama. Beth Mead stepped up first for England and scored, but was forced to retake her attempt due to a double-touch. She went on to miss the retake, and Patri Guijarro scored Spain's first penalty to put them ahead.
Alex Greenwood got England on the scoreboard before Hannah Hampton pulled off a save from Caldentay. Niamh Charles scored her spot-kick before Hampton saved Aitana Bonmatí's effort. Leah Williamson saw her penalty saved but Salma Paralluelo dragged her effort wide to give England the chance to seal the win.
As was the case in Euro 2022, Kelly turned England's hero in the final and smashed home her penalty to ensure the Lionesses went back to back.
Player Ratings:
Hannah Hampton, 10 -- Strong presence in goal and authoritative each time she came off her line. Her saves off Gonzalez and Pina kept England in the game, and she made two incredible stops in the shootout.
Lucy Bronze, 5 -- Allowed Caldentey to ghost in front of her for Spain's opener, and never looked settled at the back. Lacked discipline and picked up a booking on the hour-mark.
Leah Williamson, 8 -- A captain's performance. Felt reminscent of her brave showing against Barcelona in the Champions League final. Unflappable at the back and poised in possession. Missed her penalty in the shootout.
Jess Carter, 8 -- Assertive at the back and rarely offered Spain's forwards any space.
Alex Greenwood, 7 -- Solid without being spectacular. Her long balls over the top helped relieve pressure, and she fought bravely during Spain's onslaught in extra time. Scored a cool penalty in the shootout.
Ella Toone, 6 -- Wasn't lacking in application but struggled to leave a mark on the game.
Keira Walsh, 7 -- Grew into the game and often the starting point for England's attacks.
Georgia Stanway, 6 -- Got caught out of position in the build-up to Spain's opener, and struggled to keep up with Caldentey and Putellas in the first half.
Lauren James, 4 -- Came off in the 40th minute due to injury, and looked sluggish until then. Slow to react to a Russo rebound that fell to her yards from goal early in the game.
Alessia Russo, 9 -- Got in between the Spain centre-backs to head home England's equaliser. Worked tirelessly off the ball and bravely led England's press. A stunning performance that further boosted her credentials as the Lionesses' player of the tournament.
Lauren Hemp, 8 -- Showed great positivity, especially in the first half, and was a good outlet ball on the wing. Missed a chance from close-range early in the game, when squaring to James would have been the better option. Ran herself into the ground during extra time and was England's most potent option up top.
Substitutes:
Chloe Kelly, 8 -- Another strong performance off the bench, with her exquisite delivery setting up Russo's equaliser. Wasn't afraid to run at Batlle and troubled Spain with her directness. Scored the winning penalty in the shootout with typical aplomb.
Michelle Agyemang, 6 -- Introduced in the 70th minute, the earliest she has come on at this Euros. Hustled hard but struggled to make any tangible impact.
Beth Mead, 6 -- Had a couple of nice touches, and helped out with England's defensive efforts. Forced to retake her penalty in the shootout, which she went on to miss.
Niamh Charles, 6 -- Came on in the second half of extra time in place of Bronze, and was tidy at the back. Scored her penalty in the shootout with minimal fuss.
Grace Clinton, 5 -- Came on in the second half of extra time and her fresh legs helped in the midfield battle.