In a heart-stopping encounter at Bramall Lane, Chloe Kelly emerged as England's saviour, converting a crucial penalty to secure a dramatic 3-2 victory over Spain in the Women's Nations League. The win keeps the Lionesses' hopes of Olympic qualification firmly alive, setting up a winner-takes-all showdown with the Netherlands.
Late Drama in Sheffield
With just six minutes remaining and the score locked at 2-2, England were awarded a penalty after Georgia Stanway was brought down in the box. Kelly, who famously scored the winning goal in last year's European Championship final, held her nerve to slot home the decisive spot-kick, sending the home crowd into raptures.
Spain's Early Dominance
The visitors had looked in control early on, with Mariona Caldentey converting a 12th-minute penalty after Lucy Bronze handled in the area. Spain doubled their lead just before half-time through Athenea del Castillo's clinical finish, leaving England with a mountain to climb after the break.
Second-Half Comeback
Sarina Wiegman's side emerged transformed after the interval, with Lauren James pulling one back in the 52nd minute. The Chelsea star then turned provider, setting up Ella Toone for the equaliser just past the hour mark, before Kelly's late heroics completed the turnaround.
Olympic Hopes Alive
The victory means England must now beat the Netherlands in their final group game to keep their Olympic qualification hopes in their own hands. A win would see them progress to the Nations League semi-finals, with a place at Paris 2024 potentially up for grabs.
Wiegman praised her team's resilience: "After the first half, nobody would have thought we could turn this around. The players showed incredible character and belief to come back against such a strong Spanish side."
