'Incredible' fans help England reach semi-finals

Goals from Ella Toone and Georgia Stanway help Lionesses beat Spain 2-1 in front of nearly 29,000 fans at the Brighton Community Stadium.

Bruce Talbot

2022-07-20T17:00:00Z

Ella Toone makes it 1-1

England coach Sarina Wiegman praised the ‘incredible’ support generated by the crowd at the Brighton Community Stadium after her side came from behind to reach the semi-finals of the Women's Euros.

Substitute Ella Toone equalised with seven minutes of normal time remaining before Georgia Stanway sent a crowd of 28,994 wild with delight when she struck a brilliant long-range winner in extra time as England clinched a 2-1 success.

Esther Gonzalez had given Spain a deserved lead nine minutes after the break before England found an extra gear.

The England players take the acclaim of the crowd after reaching the semi-finals.

“The fans and the atmosphere was incredible, and I think they saw a very good game between two strong teams,” said Wiegman, who recovered from Covid-19 to take her place in the England dugout.

Spain felt England’s first goal should have been disallowed for a foul but the referee saw nothing wrong and England took control, Stanway scoring from outside the box after Keira Walsh set her up.

Stanway said, “We put in a massive, massive shift. We had a setback but we came back, job done.”

England take on Sweden or Belgium in the semi-finals next Tuesday at Bramall Lane.

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