Fans celebrate 'nerve-wracking' Lionesses victory

Football fans in the West Midlands have been celebrating a nail-biting Lionesses victory as the team clinched their place in the Euro 2025 final.

"It was electric, just proper bouncing," said Barry Ross, from Rubery, Birmingham, watching in the Stade de Geneve as Chloe Kelly scored a late winner on Tuesday in extra time.

Fellow spectator Kevin Morris, from Hereford, agreed. "When we equalised at the last kick of the game in the 96th minute, it just went mental."

England will face either world champions Spain or Euro 2022 runners-up Germany in the final on Sunday.

Mr Morris and his family have been following the Lionesses around Switzerland in a camper-van and he said it was unbelievable to see them get so far.

"I thought we'd see the group games, as usually England would probably get knocked out in the quarter-finals, and then we'd do some travelling around Europe," he said.

Although the van is due back in Hereford on Thursday, he is intending to leave his family in Switzerland and dash back in his car to rejoin them.

"We've had a great couple of weeks and I don't think we can miss the final now," he said.

Birmingham City Women Supporters Group member Mr Ross had not planned to stay on either, so will try to catch the final on TV on a cruise ship off the coast of Norway.

His time in Switzerland had been "so much fun but very tiring", he said.

"We've been lucky to get where we are. The last couple of games haven't been brilliant but we've pulled through," he added.

Watching from home, goalkeeper Hannah Hampton's former PE teacher Emma Heighway described the dramatic match as "another nerve-wracker".

"Knowing Hannah, she kept herself really calm," she said.

The Birmingham-born 24-year-old went to Erasmus Darwin Academy in Burntwood, Staffordshire, after growing up in Studley, Warwickshire.

"Her distribution is always really great in the game and she provided a lot of long balls and throws to be able to kickstart the game from the back, so I'm really proud of her."

Former Birmingham City captain Kerys Harrop, who has played with Hampton, said the match was again won by the team's super subs, who have been instrumental in the squad's progress.

"[I'm] just buzzing for Michelle Agyemang and Chloe Kelly because they obviously want to start the games but [they're] coming on and having just as much of an important impact," she said.

Elsewhere groups of friends and colleagues gathered to watch the game while a big screen was put up to screen the game in Telford's Town Park.

Telford & Wrekin Council cabinet member Angela McClements said fans were "really appreciative".

She added: "It's a sense of community spirit and people coming together, and everyone loves football, don't they?"

Rugby Borough Women took time out of their pre-season training to watch the Lionesses seal the deal at the Phoenix pub in Coventry.

"The whole team believed that it could be done," said assistant manager Sian Osmond, who admitted to nursing a few doubts as the second half wore on.

"The squad that they have and the way Sarina [Wiegman]'s utilised the whole group has been fantastic...it's a bit of a masterclass from a management perspective."

Additional reporting from Sarah Julian, Phil Upton, Malcolm Boyden and Paul Shuttleworth.

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