England supporters in Zurich had been recovering on Friday from the drama of the Euro 2025 penalty shootout win towards Sweden, with one talking of “absolute insanity within the stands” because the workforce got here from two objectives down.
England's official allocation of two,099 tickets on the Stadion Letzigrund was bought out however there have been about one other 10,000 England followers within the stadium, together with Louisa Holden-Morris, from Crewe, who was attending her thirteenth match at this match. She advised the Guardian she may scarcely watch the penalties.
“I've misplaced the charger for my Fitbit but when it had been on, I feel my coronary heart price would have been by the roof,” she mentioned. “I simply stored hiding behind the folks in entrance of me as a result of I couldn't look. I used to be so nervous as a result of, to battle again like that after which to have misplaced on penalties would have been a lot extra painful, after they'd completed a lot.
“I didn't even realise we'd gained when it was over, as a result of there had been so many missed penalties, so I didn't realise till all of the gamers ran over and jumped on Hannah [Hampton, the goalkeeper]. Then everybody was leaping on prime of one another and it was pure pleasure. However I used to be crying on the similar time as a result of I used to be so joyful. I couldn't consider that that they had completed it. I used to be so proud.”
One other fan cheering on the Lionesses was Nathalie Durgnat, who was born and raised in Switzerland however helps Arsenal and England. Durgnat joined in with England's fan stroll to the stadium, throughout which the supporter favourites similar to Neil Diamond's Candy Caroline had been sung by the streets of Zurich. “It was actually one thing,” she mentioned. “I've been to a variety of soccer matches in my life as a result of I'm over 40, however I've not often skilled such drama. There was all the pieces in that recreation. At first, everybody was sort of in disbelief, as a result of Sweden had been actually good. Then, when England tied it to make it 2-2 with two objectives in two minutes, it was absolute insanity within the stands.
“I've no phrases for what occurred within the penalty shootout. I used to be so tense and so nervous, going by the rollercoaster of feelings. However I'm glad I used to be there. The resilience, the idea in themselves and the way in which they by no means hand over, it doesn't matter what, feels very English to me.”
England, the defending champions, will now meet Italy in Geneva on Tuesday for a spot within the last. Holden-Morris, who has been following the Lionesses for the reason that 2019 World Cup, mentioned: “They've confirmed that champions, even once they don't have their finest day, can discover a option to win. I'm hopeful we are able to get to a last and win it. If we are able to come again from final night time's state of affairs, we are able to do something.”
The late-night drama attracted a peak viewers of seven.4 million viewers on BBC One, the very best figures of Euro 2025 to this point. That represented a 65% viewers share and there have been additionally almost 3m on-line streams of the match throughout BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport.
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Keir Starmer was among the many TV viewers and, based on a Downing Road spokesperson, the prime minister was “as rapt with nerves as the remainder of us” throughout the shootout. A authorities minister is because of attend Tuesday's match.
