Key Points

England's Women's Euro campaign hangs in the balance as captain Leah Williamson faces an injury scare. Defender Esme Morgan remains optimistic about Williamson's availability for the semifinal against Italy. Morgan made her tournament debut in England's dramatic comeback win over Sweden. The young defender described her emotional first appearance as her mother cried tears of joy from the stands.

Key Points: England Optimistic Leah Williamson Will Play Euro Semifinal Says Morgan

  • England rallied from 2-0 down to beat Sweden on penalties
  • Williamson subbed off in extra time but squad remains hopeful
  • Morgan made tournament debut in crucial comeback win
  • Italy awaits in semifinal as defending champions eye final
2 min read

Women's Euro: England remain optimistic around skipper Leah Williamson's injury, says Morgan

England defender Esme Morgan remains hopeful captain Leah Williamson will recover for the Women's Euro semifinal after injury scare against Sweden.

"We’re very optimistic that Leah will be fine – Esme Morgan (BBC)"

New Delhi, July 19

England defender Esme Morgan revealed they are optimistic regarding the injury scare suffered by skipper Leah Williamson and expect her to be okay for their UEFA European Women’s Championship semifinal clash.

England will be facing Italy in the final four stage after the defending champions scraped past Sweden on penalty shootouts, after having gone 0-2 down in the first half.

Williamson was subbed off in the extra time of the quarterfinals and was seen on crutches post-game.

"She seemed in very high spirits this morning. I want what's best for the team, and that's absolutely having our captain on the pitch. It is the same as every single game - be prepared to play if I'm needed, know the role, just be absolutely ready, and train at a high level over the next few days. But we're very optimistic that Leah will be fine,” Morgan was quoted as saying by the BBC.

Morgan made her tournament debut against Sweden, coming on in the 70th minute to help England bounce back from a 2-0 deficit. If Williamson misses the game against Italy, Morgan is expected to be in line to replace her.

The 24-year-old defender reflected on making her tournament debut and talked about the joyous moment when her side completed the comeback. "It was really, really special. Apparently, my mum was sobbing when I came on, bless her. It doesn't take much to set her off watching football. I think she was crying again when we won, so a lot of tears were shed. It was just really nice to get that opportunity.

"I have been working hard throughout the tournament to stay prepared in case I was called on. I felt really ready when that happened to be able to make an impact. I was really excited, and to be able to turn it around and get the win at the end was such a joyous moment,” she added.

- IANS

Share this article:

Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Women's football deserves more attention in India too. These European teams show such professionalism and passion. Our girls could learn so much from them!
A
Arjun K
That comeback from 2-0 down was incredible! Shows why football is the beautiful game. Hope the Indian women's team can reach this level someday with proper support.
S
Sarah B
As someone who follows both men's and women's football, I must say the women's game often shows more heart and tactical discipline. This England team is a joy to watch!
K
Karthik V
While I appreciate women's sports getting coverage, I wish our media gave equal importance to Indian women athletes instead of just focusing on foreign tournaments.
M
Meera T
Esme Morgan's debut performance was brilliant! Her mother crying shows how emotional these moments are for families. Wishing all the best to England for semis 🇮🇳🤝🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿
N
Nikhil C
The team spirit is amazing! Reminds me of our women's hockey team's Olympic performance. When players support each other like this, anything is possible 💪

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50