Jubilant England fans celebrated across the country on Sunday night as the Lionesses retained their Euros title after a nail-biting penalty shootout win over Spain.
Chloe Kelly scored the vital spot-kick following two incredible saves from goalkeeper Hannah Hampton – sending supporters in fan zones into frenzied celebrations.
Hundreds of fans turned out at Shoreditch Boxpark in East London to watch Leah Williamson’s side take victory in the back-and-forth battle between the tournament’s two best sides.
After going into overtime, and then into penalties, England brought the trophy home in a 3-1 shootout, prompting wild celebrations as people launched pints in the air and hugged.
Hours before victory, Catherine Adamson, 58, told The Independent that she had a hunch. In her dream last night, the Lionesses edged the game and won it 2-1.
Ms Adamson, who watched the game from Shoreditch Boxpark, said before kickoff: “I had a dream last night, 2-1, and Kelly didn’t get the winner, sorry, she didn’t get the winner, I think Williamson got the winner.”
She was right about the score, but not about Chloe Kelly, who scored the penalty shot that brought England to victory.
The crowd at Boxpark venue was buzzing with fans who were decked out in England’s colours from head to toe hours before the match started.
After Spain scored the opener, a definite sense of nervousness was in the air, but the mood never broke, and people continued singing and dancing throughout the game.
During the penalties, Adamson was pacing up and down the venue’s hallway, too afraid to watch what would happen, she said.
“My nerves were shot to pieces.”
It was her first time at Shoreditch’s Boxpark and she said she would be watching the Euros from there on out, describing the atmosphere as “electric”.
She said it was amazing to see everyone come together.
“Seeing that, it’s lovely…you don’t even know those people and they’re cuddling, having so much fun.
“Well done England, I’m so proud.”
Jade Young, 34, and her son Ernie Johnson, 11, were also amongst the crowd, having travelled from Cheshire to support the team.
Johnson said he was very proud of the girls but admitted he was “very stressed” during penalties.
“The keeper was the best, the keeper saved the goalscorer and the Ballon D’Or winner.”
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Young said: “I cried.
“Chloe, I knew she’d come through with it, she smashed it. We’ve come here and we didn’t know what to expect but it’s been absolutely mega.”
Renée Addo, 22, who was joined by her football team, felt “ecstatic” when England won.
She said: “It took courage, it took wit, it took strength but England nation we did it again, twice in a row, it doesn’t get any better than this.”
Addo admitted the penalties were hard to watch, but she didn’t lose faith in the Lionesses.
“I believe in my girls, I believe in (manager) Serena (Wiegman), I believe in her tactics, I believe in her work, and it paid off.
“During the penalties, I felt like my mum, she always turns off the TV so I wanted to turn off the TV because I couldn’t bear to watch.”
Joined at Boxpark by her teammates, she said it was amazing to see the kind of community that women’s football had given them.
“I wouldn’t wish to spend it with anyone else apart from my girls today.
“We did it, we said we’d do it.”
At Brandon Groves Community Club in Essex, star striker Michelle Agyemang’s former team, fans sang loudly and waved flags cheering the team on throughout the game.
Agyemang, 19, who had one England cap before the tournament, scored crucial equalisers in the Lionesses’ quarter-final and semi-final comebacks.
There was non-stop applause in her home town of South Ockendon as fans saw the Arsenal forward step through a guard of honour to pick up her award.
Supporters at her old club Brandon Groves AFC danced a conga line to the sounds of Vindaloo after England’s victory.
