England’s Late Drama Stuns Italy in Thrilling Semi-Final

Jubilant Fans Recall Unforgettable Comeback

The Stade de Geneve pulsed with an electric atmosphere, but a dramatic late surge from England transformed nervous anticipation into elation, as fans recounted the unforgettable victory that secured their place in the final.

A Game of Two Halves

Outside the packed stadium, the air throbbed with the competing chants of “come on England” and “Italia.” The 96th minute, however, brought a seismic shift. A deafening roar, sustained for a remarkable thirty seconds, signalled an unexpected turn of events.

Confusion quickly turned to jubilation as **Michelle Agyemang** found the net, levelling the score. The reporter, expecting to interview dejected supporters, had to recalibrate plans. Initial interviews with fans departing early hinted at the resilience to come.

“I feel like they’ve got it in them, they’re going to win.”

—Kaz

This proved prophetic. Just three minutes later, **Chloe Kelly**’s extra-time strike sealed a seemingly impossible win, leaving many fans in disbelief.

“Honestly, in that last 10 minutes, I thought, we’re out of it, we’re going home. But they always pull it out of the bag.”

—Melissa

Among the overjoyed crowd were **Jessica**, 12, and her mother, **Serena**. Amidst the cacophony of celebratory noise, **Jessica** offered a concise assessment of the match: “England played well and Italy played okay too.” When asked if she played football, her simple “No” was met with a hopeful, “Not yet, anyway,” from her mother.

Pre-Match Buzz in Geneva

The excitement had been building throughout the day. Earlier, a gathering of England supporters outside a central Geneva pub amplified the fervent atmosphere, fuelled by drums and chants of “Sarina,” a tribute to England’s manager.

Here, **Lisa**, who will celebrate her 50th birthday on the same day as the final, met with **Jen**. They had been in the city since Thursday, having enjoyed four days of hiking in the Alps. “Down here it’s a bit busier, as you can imagine, but we’re really enjoying it,” **Lisa** shared.

The communal spirit was palpable, with **Kerry**, **Chrissy**, and **Charlotte** striking up a friendship thanks to the tournament. “Everyone’s really friendly, so you can sort of just talk to anyone,” **Chrissy** noted. She added, “It’s been more emotional than I was expecting.”

**Charlotte** recalled developing a deep appreciation for the sport after attending the Euro 2022 final, where England triumphed over Germany. “I’m just really excited to kind of go through those emotions again and this time be really passionate about it,” she expressed.

The tournament also fostered new connections for **Manish**, a Bern resident supporting England, and **Stephen**, a Briton who praised Switzerland as a tournament host. “It’s an amazing place. Great country, great people, great hospitality, it’s been wonderful,” **Stephen** remarked.

England’s victory was particularly resonant, mirroring their 2022 Euro win, a tournament that saw a 15% increase in women’s football viewing figures in the UK compared to the previous year.