Basel, July 28 (IANS) Holders England came from behind before beating Spain on penalties to retain UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 title.

Mariona Caldentey gave Spain the lead as she rose highest to meet Ona Batlle’s cross, before Alessia Russo responded after the break with a brilliant header back across goal to put England back in it.

And after Hannah Hampton had saved two penalties in the shoot-out, Kelly stepped up to secure a historic victory. Russo posed an immediate threat in the early moments, charging away behind the Spanish defence down the left after three minutes and seeing her shot parried by Cata Coll, with Lauren James unable to react fast enough to the rebound.

Spain then looked dangerous as Olga Carmona found space on the left to pick out Esther Gonzalez, who saw her shot saved well by Hampton at the near post. And it was almost a repeat minutes later as Carmona once more clipped a cross in after finding space behind Lucy Bronze, but Gonzalez fired wide.

In a half of shifting momentum, Lauren Hemp took initiative to win the ball back in the Spanish box on the stroke of 20 minutes but Coll proved equal to her low shot. It was Spain who went ahead in the 25th minute, though, as Ona Batlle found space at the byline to the right of the box before dinking a delicate cross into the centre and it was Arsenal’s Caldentey who rose highest to nod home the opener.

Just after James had been forced off with injury on 41 minutes, Spain nearly doubled their lead as Gonzalez sent her header just wide yet again. But after the restart, Russo had England back on level terms. It was Kelly who produced a delightful cross onto the head of the Arsenal forward, who made no mistake with a brilliant header back across goal and into the top corner.

Kelly looked like she could have put England in front shortly afterwards as she cut into the box off the left, but her low shot was tipped just wide by a stretching Coll. England looked much improved as Leah Williamson charged forward through the midfield and centred a low cross, but nobody was there to meet it.

As the end of normal time approached, a double switch from Spain brought increased pressure.

The pace of Salma Paralleulo brought intensity to their game and she skewed a shot wide just before Vicky Lopez also came close. Extra time beckoned – and Spain started on the front foot with Lopez injecting impetus into the attack, but her ball into the feet of Paralluelo proved no match for Williamson, who stepped in to clear.

The England captain stepped up once more moments later to block a low shot from Aitana Bonmati, before Spain came centimetres from a goal on the stroke of half-time of extra time when Batlle sent a ball across the face of goal but Paralluelo failed to connect.

Claudia Pina came close after the break, too. Her low cross from inside the box looked like it could have crept in at the near post but again Spain had no one in position to turn home.

It was Spain who kept pushing as Paralluelo once more missed a golden opportunity to put Spain back in front as she swung and missed at a loose ball in the box. But neither team could find a breakthrough and for a second time this tournament, England faced penalties.

After being forced to retake her penalty, Mead saw her opening spot-kick saved before Patri Guijarro fired hers in. Alex Greenwood scored before Hampton stepped up to save Caldentey’s to put England back on level terms.

And after Niamh Charles slotted her effort into the bottom left corner, Hampton palmed Bonmati’s spot-kick away to put England in the driver’s seat. Williamson and Paralluelo exchanged misses before Kelly stepped up to win England the EUROs for the second time in a row and get the party started.

–IANS

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