Sometimes, if you’re lucky, you get to watch a game of football that you know will become a classic even before the final whistle has blown.
To the almost 30,000 people crammed into Falmer Stadium in Brighton, as well as the hundreds of thousands glued to their screens around the world, England’s 2022 Women’s European Championship quarter-final against Spain on Thursday was that game.
There was little certainty about how the result would teeter and fall: the two teams had drawn 0-0 in their most recent meeting back in February, while the emerging Spaniards had just edged the Lionesses 1-0 two years earlier thanks to a goal from their star player Alexia Putellas, who — perhaps to England’s mercy — was unavailable this time around due to an ACL tear.
And while their group stages were of juxtaposing shades — England’s record-breaking sweep, where they scored 14 goals and conceded none, versus Spain’s stutter and stumble as they lost to Germany and struggled to capitalise on their dominance of the ball — there was still a clash-of-the-titans feeling to this; a feeling that whoever came out of this alive would surely make it all the way.
And so the game began. Its exhausting intensity was foreshadowed in the opening five seconds as England striker Ellen White was flattened by a Mapi Leon clearance. One-on-one battles clashed and clanged all over the field: stand-out Spanish full-back Ona Batlle against sizzling England winger Lauren Hemp, the trickster Mariona Caldentey against the galloping Lucy Bronze, the other-worldly Aitana Bonmati against the breakwall of Keira Walsh.
Perhaps it was the nerves — the creeping weight of expectation from their home crowd — but England appeared perplexed by their own inability to keep the ball. Spain’s breathless press barely gave the Lionesses enough time to find a pass, let alone connect one. England’s most dangerous players so far this tournament in Beth Mead and Fran Kirby were so ineffective they may as well have not been on the pitch.
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Unforced errors abounded as the first half wore on and Spain tightened their grip. Bronze was visibly frustrated at the hurried and over-hit long-balls. White swung from centre-back to centre-back but was beaten to the jump almost every time. The home nation were finally up against their first serious challenge of the tournament, a team that did to England what England does to others: suffocate.
Though they entered half-time at 0-0, it felt as though Spain had the upper hand. Their puppet-master Bonmati was pulling the strings, creating pockets of space out of nothing, manifesting angles and overloads with the flick of a boot. It was telling that the Player of the Match was awarded to England centre-back Millie Bright, who barrelled through Spain’s attacking players, dominated the airspace, and somehow made last-ditch clearances through sheer force of will alone.
This game was something else: something more finely-balanced, something more appropriate for a final than a final eight.
After the two starting XIs had cancelled each other out over the first half, with neither really creating convincing chances in front of goal, the tactical battles moved from the players on the pitch to the managers off it.
Jorge Vilda won the first thanks to his half-time substitution of Marta Cardona for Athenea del Castillo. The 21-year-old Real Madrid winger made an immediate impact, humiliating England full-back Rachel Daly a handful of times before setting up the opening goal that was buried by Esther Gonzalez in the 53rd minute.
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It was the first goal England had conceded at the Euros and just the fourth they’d copped under manager Sarina Weigman, who took over ten months ago, silencing the once-heaving crowd and reminding them of the humanness of this Lionesses team.
The minutes crept by as Spain continued to move the ball away from the shadows of the chasing England. Goalkeeper Mary Earps palmed a vicious shot from del Castillo away. The possibility of a home European title was slipping from view just as they began to believe it really, truly, could be theirs.
But there is where Wiegman’s management came to the fore. Just past the hour, the Dutchwoman replaced the seemingly-irreplaceable Kirby with the veteran’s heir-apparent: Manchester United youngster Ella Toone. England’s energy changed almost immediately as the 21-year-old brought a forward drive and creative flair that had been missing, tucking into pockets of space and creating new shapes in the warm Brighton night.
Coupled with the introductions of striker Alessia Russo and winger Chloe Kelly, it was the burst the Lionesses needed: in the 84th minute, Russo muscled away Spain captain Irene Paredes to deflect the ball into the path of the onrushing Toone, who swept it past goalkeeper Sandra Panos for the riotous equaliser.
The air was sucked out of Spain then as England roared back to life. They finished the regulation 90+ minutes with confidence and stormed into extra-time the same way.
It reached a crescendo in the kind of way generations of fans do not forget. Bayern Munich midfielder Georgia Stanway turned on a Walsh pass and drove forward. Lauren Hemp peeled right and had acres of green in front of her. The pass was on, but Stanway — who’d flown under the radar until now — had other ideas.
Striding towards the top of the box, emboldened by the game’s turning tide, she speared her arms either side and rocketed a shot into the top corner, practically ripping the net off in the process.
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If the equaliser had buckled Spain, Stanway’s strike broke them.
The Lionesses scrapped and scraped their way to the full-time whistle as the stadium erupted into choruses of “It’s Coming Home” and “Sweet Caroline”.
Weigman, usually a model of composure, sprinted out onto the pitch in squeals and leaps.
The players collided in a white tangle of hugs and screams as their Spanish opponents collapsed around them.
These are the games that etch into the memories of a stadium, a tournament, a sport.
While England had been all glitz and glamour and goals up to now, this iconic win over an inspired Spain showed they’ve got the guts and the grit to be worthy of the title they still have within their grasp.
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