Wembley Stadium, the setting for today’s Women’s Euro Final between England and Germany!! A chance to be a part of history in the making!! My 4th visit to Wembley with my record stood at won 1 and lost 2… Thanks Mansfield! Let’s hope today changes that record!
I’m certainly getting pretty lucky with these games! Community Shield yesterday with Liverpool and now the Lionesses! A big thanks to Stuart who I met at Hinckley Leicester Road back in April for offering me today’s ticket and I will be joining him for today!
8am and here comes Stuart in Shirebrook! An early start for what could be an historic day! I’m still buzzing from yesterday though… We will be joined by Martin who is a friend of his so next stop Moulton, Northamptonshire. Straight onto the M1 for 1 hour and a half and here we are in Moulton.
A quick cup of tea and a look at Moulton FC’s ground later and we are on the move to Canon’s Park underground station. 1 hour later and here we are all parked up. Into Canon’s Park station and look what I can see again! Next stop Wembley Park station.
We’re here and here we go again! Wembley is always a good day out but even better if you win! Wembley Way is filling up nicely already! It’s 12pm and we’ve got 5 hours to kill before kick off, next stop Moulin cafe just down the road to the right of Wembley Way station.
1 sausage sandwich later and we’re back on Wembley Way. We’re parked up next to the fanzone now to kill more time having a guess of what year was that England shirt from? I think I did ok at that game! The atmosphere on Wembley Way is very calm and relaxed which I think is brilliant compared to the nerves of a play-off final and certainly the Men’s euros final last year…
Up the Wembley steps we go as time rolls on. A quick look at the skyline of Central London and now we’re going in! £15 for this Women’s Euros Final ticket! WHAT!? I’m in! And now up the escalator… This is the first time I will be seeing Wembley full as my previous 3 visits have been bottom and middle tier at most… I wish Mansfield had more fans for days like this!
I have to say what a view this is up here!! This is the side of Wembley I haven’t seen before which I’m really glad I have now!
The stadium is filling up ever so slowly and the atmosphere is slowly building! Out come the teams for their warm-ups, it’s getting noisier now!
The warm-ups are done and now we are treated to a special show from Becky Hill before kick off! And now it’s time for the main event!! Out come the teams… I’ve said it a few times “to a wall of noise!” But today it’s a wall of noise on steroids! Now for the national anthems… “GOD SAVE OUR QUEEN!” COME ON ENGLAND!!
Kick Off! 3 minutes in and England come forward, it’s played to Fran Kirby, it’s played in towards Ellen White with the header… Straight at the keeper! You can feel the atmosphere when England come forward that’s for sure!
9th minute and Germany come forward down the right, it’s played across to Sara Dabritz just inside the box to shoot… Brilliant brave block there by Lucy Bronze! The flag goes up for an Offside in the build-up.
“Da da dadada dadadada England!” 18th minute and England have a corner, in it comes… Lucy Bronze with the header… Straight at the keeper… She couldn’t repeat her heroics at Bramall Lane this time around.
24th minute and Germany have a corner now, in it comes… Oh dear it’s pinball right on the goalmouth…… It falls into the grasp of Mary Earps… Phew! Could it be our lucky day…? Oh no here comes VAR with a potential penalty check… A handball in there somewhere? No! Says VAR on with the game.
38 minutes on the clock and England play down the right, it’s played across to Ellen White in the box and she shoots… OH! It’s just over! Biggest chance of the game so far! England continue to look the better of the 2 teams so far but at half time it’s goalless. Great to bump into Graeme Holmes in the top tier here at half time! Haven’t seen him in a while! Shame about the Everton shirt though…
Second half, 47th minute and a defensive mix up in the England half sees Tabea Waßmuth free down the left, she drives into the box and shoots… Mary Earps saves!
2 minutes later and here come Germany again, some lovely play there from Germany and they get it out left, it’s played across to Lina MAGULL! Ooooooh! Just wide! So close for Germany! heart in your mouth moment for us in the stands…
61 minutes on the clock and England have the ball at the back with Keira Walsh, she plays it forward… How about that for a pass! It’s Ella Toone and she’s in on goal, she goes for the lob and…… SHE’S GOT IT!!!! IT’S A GOALLLLL!! WHAT A PASS! WHAT A GOAL!!! Ella Toone with a finish that a prime Michael Owen himself would’ve been proud of!!! England lead in the final!!! 1-0!!
2 minutes later and it’s sadly the end for Beth Mead who has sustained an injury and will be replaced by Chloe Kelly, a standing ovation for her and she limps off.
65th minute and Germany come forward now, it’s played to Lina Magull in the box on the right and she goes for goal… OFF THE POST!! Lea Schüller is there for the rebound… Earps is there to gather! Big warning sign for England there!
The Mexican Wave is now starting to go around Wembley! The attendance is: 87,192! A new record! Well done everyone!
78 minutes on the clock and Germany play down the right hand side again, it’s played across low to Lina Magull going in at the near post… It’s there… Oh no! That wasn’t in the script was it!? Germany have equalised! A nervy last 10 or so minutes awaits for England now… 1-1!
It’s a tense game now and Germany are looking the better of the 2 teams but extra time seems very likely here…
Into stoppage time and England have a free kick in a good shooting position, it’s going to be crossed in… Germany get there and clear! The whistle goes and it will be extra time.
First half of extra time, it’s a very tense game here with both teams not creating anything clear cut in this part of the game… It’s looking like penalties could be the answer… And you know what that means when these 2 nations meet… Half time in extra time… That was a dull half!
Second half in extra time, 107 minutes on the clock and England come forward, Ella Toone has it 20 yards from goal and she shoots… Keeper saves!
3 minutes later and England have a corner, in it comes… It’s fallen here to Chloe Kelly from point blank… YYYEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!! COME ON!! CHLOE KELLY FOR ENGLAND!!! THE ROOF HAS JUST COME OFF!!!! She pokes it home from 3 yards and that could be the goal to win England the Euros!! 2-1! What a moment!
Can England hold on in this game? 116th minute and Germany don’t clear their lines and England come forward, it’s played to Alessia Russo in the box and she shoots… OH! It’s tipped over! Nearly the game there for England but it is a corner, it’s played short and England are trying to old corner flag trick here to run down the clock, England lose it and Germany have a throw in.
“It’s coming! Football’s coming home!” England are nearly there! Running down the clock at every opportunity and the crowd are getting livelier! Into stoppage time and it is one last throw of the dice for Germany now, they have a free kick in their own half, it’s lumped forward, England win the header and break… THAT’S IT!!!! THAT! IS! IT!!!!!! ENGLAND HAVE WON THE EUROS FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME!!! FOOTBALL REALLY IS COMING HOME!!
The Lionesses charge onto the pitch!! It is a beautiful moment for Women’s Football in this country! The Lionesses have made us dream and have inspired a lot of young girls in this country! Women’s Football is on the march! Bring it on! History has been made by the Lionesses!
Now it’s time for the ceremony! Out comes Prince William to present the Trophy! The players and officials receive their medals and now for the big moment! Leah Williamson has the trophy in her hands…………… YEEEEESSSSS!! FOOTBALL IS COMING HOME!!! ENGLAND ARE THE CHAMPIONS!! The Legacy will live on and on!
Wembley Record: Won 2-2 Lost
FT: England Women 2-1 Germany Women AET
Ratings
- Atmosphere: 10/10 – Very calm outside the ground before the game today which is a good sign, during the game it was deafening at times when England came forward and certainly when they scored! A bit flat in the second half but the atmosphere after England had won was simply glorious!!
- Build-up: 8/10 – Very calm outside the ground, I’ve had better build-ups in that aspect, inside the ground however, Becky Hill certainly did not disappoint!
- Expense: 10/10 – £15 for the ticket! £15 for fuel for Stuart! Is there a better bargain on planet Earth!!?
- Overall Experience: 10/10 – Without question!! One of those days where you can say: “I was there!” A historic day and I can’t thank Stuart enough for that ticket! A fabulous day and it was great to meet Martin as well! What a day!!
38/40