No Penalty Practice For England As Sarina Wiegman Prepares For Italy In Euro 2025 Semi-Final

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England's manager, Sarina Wiegman, disclosed that her team had not been focusing on penalty practice before their Euro 2025 semi-final against Italy. Despite this, England secured their spot in the semi-finals by defeating Sweden 3-2 in a penalty shootout after drawing 2-2 in regular time. This victory marked England's third consecutive shootout win under Wiegman's leadership, contrasting with four losses before her tenure.

The match against Sweden highlighted issues with penalties, as England missed four out of seven attempts, all saved by Swedish goalkeeper Jennifer Falk. Penalty misses have been a recurring issue in the tournament, with 17 out of 41 penalties missed (41% including shootouts). In comparison, only 18 of 59 penalties were missed across the previous three tournaments combined (31%).

Chloe Kelly was one of the successful penalty takers against Sweden. Her performance was impactful during the quarter-final win. After joining Arsenal permanently before the tournament, Kelly came on in the 78th minute and assisted Lucy Bronze's header shortly after. She also played a key role in Michelle Agyemang's equaliser by setting up Beth Mead for a crucial pass.

Despite limited playtime of just 126 minutes without starting any game, Kelly has created six chances, ranking third among England players. She shares the record for most substitute appearances in Euros history (10), alongside Denmark's Nadia Nadim. Wiegman hinted at possibly starting Kelly against Italy due to her contributions.

Wiegman faces a selection challenge for the upcoming match at Stade de Geneve due to her substitutes' significant impact. Since Euro 2022 began, England's substitutes have scored four decisive goals in knockout games—more than any other nation during this period. They have also taken 15 shots and created nine chances at Euro 2025.

"We have headaches all the time because a lot of players can start," Wiegman stated. "That's what makes the team strong." The coach emphasized considering various factors before each game to make informed decisions about player selection.

Addressing Social Issues and Team Decisions

Wiegman also addressed racial abuse directed at defender Jess Carter on social media following England's win over Sweden. The team decided to stop taking the knee before matches as they felt its impact was insufficient. "Taking the knee, that's not enough," Wiegman remarked. "We have done that for a while."

Additionally, it was confirmed that captain Leah Williamson returned to training ahead of the semi-final after recovering from an injury setback.

England's substitutes have been remarkably effective throughout recent tournaments. They scored seven goals in Euro 2022 and three more in Euro 2025—seven more than any other team during this period.

As England prepares for their semi-final clash with Italy, Wiegman's strategic decisions will be crucial given her squad's depth and adaptability. The team's ability to perform under pressure remains a key strength as they aim for success at Euro 2025.