Much more to come from hero Michelle
SARINA Wiegman predicted much more to come from ‘something special’ Michelle Agyemang after the 19-year-old saved England from the brink of elimination for the second time at Euro 2025 and helped the Lionesses book a return trip to the final.
Agyemang has scored three times in her first four appearances for the defending champions, who were initially stunned in their 2-1 last-four comeback victory over Italy when Barbara Bonansea opened the scoring for the underdogs 33 minutes into the Geneva semi-final.
But just as she did in their quarterfinal against Sweden, the youngest Lioness in Switzerland came off the bench and levelled late in the secondhalf. clipping the crossbar in extratime before fellow replacement Chloe Kelly emphatically buried the rebound from her own saved penalty late in the second period.
“She has something special,” Wiegman said of Agyemang, who levelled with less than two minutes remaining in second-half stoppage time.
“She’s only 19 years old, she’s very mature, she knows exactly what she has to do.
“When you talk about little things that she picks up straight away, because she’s not only in the 18-yard box very dangerous but when we have to go to her as a target player, she keeps the ball really well too.
“Even when you saw her shot hit the crossbar, that was not just a shot, she was aiming for it. If she continues like this she has a very bright future.”
Despite her tremendous trajectory, Wiegman does not feel pressure to give the major tournament debutant, who scored 41 seconds into her England debut in April, more minutes than she has so far.
“She’s not forcing me,” insisted Wiegman, who has now guided teams to three consecutive European finals, and will aim to make it a hat-trick of three trophies – one with the Netherlands and two with England – with victory in Sunday’s Basel final.
“I think she is very grateful she gets minutes and she’s really ready for it. I think her growth and her development went so quickly, from not starting at Brighton, being on loan, to getting lots more minutes and showing how good she is and coming into our team.
“I think how these things go, (they’ve gone) pretty smoothly for her and I think she feels very good about that.
Agyemang, below, who returned to parent club Arsenal at the conclusion of the last campaign, drew high praise from Gunners team-mate and England captain Williamson – the woman she replaced with five minutes remaining in normal time.
“She feels inevitable right now,” said Williamson.
“I think she’s quality. I think what she brings, she’s a nightmare to play against. I’m glad she’s my team-mate at club and country.
“She deserves her flowers. I hope she gets them. I hope she enjoys tonight and then I hope she’s ready to go at the weekend.”