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England fans on edge in tight Euro semi-final Fans stunned by England comeback to win place in Euros final
(about 3 hours later)
Supporters of the Lionesses Waiting outside the Stade de Geneve during Tuesday night's semi-final between England and Italy was a unique experience.
A sense of anticipation and excitement was building outside the Stade de Geneve as the semi-final between England and Italy was about to begin. Loud cheers and competing chants of "come on England" and "Italia" were in the 96th minute replaced by an almighty roar that lasted a full 30 seconds. I furiously refreshed the BBC Sport live page, wondering what on earth had happened. Michelle Agyemang had scored the equaliser.
Supporters streaming through the gates wore curly red and white wigs, while others carried England flags or wore them around their shoulders. A group of children with Union Jack face paint carried a sign with the word "pizza" crossed out and replaced with "fish and chips". I had been expecting to interview disappointed England fans heading back to their hotels in Geneva to book their trains and flights home. Instead, I had to make another plan.
From time to time, a burst of Three Lions or Sweet Caroline could be heard from loudspeakers, or an almighty roar would erupt from those who had already taken their seats inside. Already, I had spoken to a few people leaving the match early to get a head start on the crowds.
"Is it coming home?" I asked England fans who had no time to stop and talk as they rushed to join the queue to get in. "I feel like they've got it in them, they're going to win," Kaz told me on her way out.
"Of course," some yelled back, while others simply replied "Ingerland". I took that to mean yes. Kaz clearly knew something I didn't.
Earlier, about 5km (3 miles) away in central Geneva I stood outside a pub with large crowds of England fans. I have never been to Geneva before but I imagine such a sight on a hot, sunny Tuesday afternoon, if at any time really, is not the norm. Three minutes later, when Chloe Kelly scored in extra time, I thought "how do England keep doing this?" It seems I wasn't the only one.
I arrived to excited chants of "come on England", accompanied by a drum, followed by trumpet song and shouts of "Sarina" in homage to England manager Sarina Wiegman. "Honestly, in that last 10 minutes, I thought, we're out of it, we're going home. But they always pull it out of the bag," one delighted fan, Melissa, told me when she emerged from the stadium.
I first met Lisa and Jen, who had been in Geneva since Thursday after having spent four days hiking in the Alps. "I'm absolutely over the moon."
"Down here it's a bit busier, as you can imagine, but we're really enjoying it," said Lisa, who turns 50 next week and may be celebrating the milestone on the same day that England play in the final if they beat Italy. Also among the elated tide of England fans were 12-year-old Jessica and her Mum, Serena. I could barely hear them over the din of excited screaming, honking of horns, and rousing renditions of Three Lions.
"Fingers crossed eh," she says. This was the first Euros semi-final Jessica has ever attended. Her assessment of the game? "England played well and Italy played okay too."
Both women were among those lucky enough to have tickets to the semi-final and said they were very excited to support the team. I ask her if she plays football? "No," she answered.
"I'm probably going to be get quite emotional," she said. "Not yet, anyway," her Mum said, laughing.
'Emotional rollercoaster' Excitement had been building from much earlier that day. In the afternoon, I stood outside a pub in central Geneva with large crowds of England fans.
Also looking forward to watching the semi-final match at the stadium were Kerry, Chrissy and Charlotte, who had all met as a result of the tournament. I arrived to chants of "come on England", accompanied by a drum, followed by trumpet song and shouts of "Sarina" in homage to England manager Sarina Wiegman.
There I met Lisa and Jen, who had been in the city since Thursday after four days hiking in the Alps.
"Down here it's a bit busier, as you can imagine, but we're really enjoying it," said Lisa, who turns 50 next week and will be celebrating the milestone on the same day that England play in the final.
'More emotional than I was expecting'
Also enjoying the festivities were Kerry, Chrissy and Charlotte, who had all met as a result of the tournament.
"Everyone's really friendly, so you can sort of just talk to anyone," said Chrissy."Everyone's really friendly, so you can sort of just talk to anyone," said Chrissy.
"It's been more emotional than I was expecting. Last week's game [the quarter-final] really took it out of us," she added. "It's been more emotional than I was expecting," she added.
Chrissy was not alone in feeling that the nail-biting quarter-final match against Sweden was hard for the nerves. Other England fans I spoke to also described it as an "emotional rollercoaster" but they were thrilled the Lionesses came out on top.
Charlotte said she developed a real love of the sport when she attended the Euro 2022 final, when England beat Germany.Charlotte said she developed a real love of the sport when she attended the Euro 2022 final, when England beat Germany.
"I'm just really excited to kind of go through those emotions again and this time be really passionate about it," she said."I'm just really excited to kind of go through those emotions again and this time be really passionate about it," she said.
Also meeting for the first time at the Euros were Manish, who lives in the Swiss city of Bern but supports England, and Stephen, who is British and said he thought Switzerland was a great location for the tournament.Also meeting for the first time at the Euros were Manish, who lives in the Swiss city of Bern but supports England, and Stephen, who is British and said he thought Switzerland was a great location for the tournament.
"It's an amazing place. Great country, great people, great hospitality, it's been wonderful.""It's an amazing place. Great country, great people, great hospitality, it's been wonderful."
Fans I spoke to were particularly keen to support defender Jess Carter, who revealed she has been targeted with racist abuse on social media throughout the tournament. Carter was replaced in the semi-final starting line-up by Esme Morgan.
"All of the Lionesses... we are truly behind them," Jen said.
Chrissy told me she supported the England team in their decision not to take the knee before the match. Sections of the crowd applauded in the 16th minute in support of Carter, whose squad number is 16.