How Para Lionesses became champions – Her Football Hub

England have been crowned champions of the European Deaf Futsal Championship following their 3-1 win against Poland in the final.

The Para Lionesses have been out in Croatia to challenge for the title this month, which they will bring home after a hard-fought route to glory.

Her Football Hub have been keeping a close eye on their progress. Here’s a rundown of their journey to winning the Euros title.

The England women’s deaf team

The rules of deaf football are based off 11-a-side football. There is one adaption to the laws of the game — referees have a flag which they raise alongside blowing their whistle. This provides a visual cue for players, making it more accessible.

Internationally, players must remove their hearing aids during matches to ensure fairness for all. This isn’t the case domestically for club football. Deaf football is also based off futsal, where each team is a five-a-side. Find out more about deaf football and who can play.

Para Lionesses squad

England head coach Steve Daley selected a 13-player squad for the European championships:

Ellie Betteridge, Kate Bowers, Emma Brown, Danielle Evans, Natasha Hamm, Louise Hogan, Lucindha Lawson, Sophie Mernagh, Zara Musker, Maisie O’Shea, Lucy Scholes, Faye Williams and Macie White.

Match one: Fighting until the end

The Para Lionesses kicked off their Euros campaign with a hard-fought win over Poland. The first of their three group games saw them seal a 4-2 victory.

It was a noteworthy second half where most of the action took place. A brace from Lucindha Lawson and further strikes from Louise Hogan and Macie White proved enough to grab the win.

Match two: Building on success

Next up for the Para Lionesses was a second group game against Italy.

It was a nervy first half, before captain Zara Musker drove home a low shot following a corner from the right to give England the advantage just seconds before the break.

They doubled their lead five minutes into the second half when Faye Williams struck home a long-range shot, before White made it 3-0 with a shot from her own half after the Italian goalkeeper had come out, in the hopes of helping her team find a way back into the game.

Italy did pull a goal back, but England responded with two more goals in the final stages. The next saw Hogan score from her own box with a stunning effort.

The victory was rounded off with just over four minutes remaining when Musker scored from close range after being set up by Ellie Betteridge. Italy scored a second goal just before full-time though, making the final score 5-2.

Match three: Always finding a way back

Off the back of two wins from two, England went into their third and final group game against France full of momentum. They fell behind to an early goal from France, but they soon put the score level after Williams’ close range finish.

France hit back again as a flowing team move ended in an emphatic finish to put them 2-1 up. England weren’t done yet though, and Hogan levelled things up again with a low shot from the edge of the area after White provided the assist to set her up.

A pass from Betteridge provided White with a goal of her own, putting England ahead for the first time in the game.

The second half was less eventful with goals, as France desperately searched for a way back.

A win was secured with four minutes remaining when Hogan won possession in the France half before her low shot was diverted home from close range by White to net her second of the game. The 4-2 result saw England book their place in the semi-finals.

Match four: Beating rivals Ireland to book their spot in the final

A lot was riding on match four of the Women’s Deaf European Championships, as the winner would go through to the final. It was a matchup between none other than close rivals Ireland, who knocked the Para Lionesses out of the tournament at the quarter-final stage last summer.

Nothing separated the two teams in the first half. However, England took the lead four minutes into the second 45 when Hogan put the Para Lionesses ahead after exchanging passes with Betteridge.

Ireland hit back with 12 minutes to go on the clock, equalising from just inside the area. However, England quickly found a way back, when Betteridge’s low cross-shot into the area was met by Musker to make it 2-1.

With Ireland pushing for another equaliser, Betteridge wasn’t one to miss an opportunity and after two assists, put a precise finish into the bottom corner to make the final score 3-1.

The victory saw England book their place in the final against familiar opponents Poland.

Match five: the Para Lionesses become European champions

The Euros final was a rematch of the first group stage game with Poland.

Goalkeeper Emma Brown made a crucial save from a Poland free-kick in the first half as England dug deep not to let the early pressure beat them. The Para Lionesses soon opened the scoring when Lawson whipped the ball through the legs of the Poland goalkeeper from a Hogan pass.

Poland were hungry to find an equaliser, with Brown denying them two further close-range efforts. Lawson then capitalised with her second goal in the opening half, after Danielle Evans’ shot made its way to her from close range.

Although the score remained at 2-0 in the second half, England denied Poland with further opportunities. Betteridge and Evans came closest to England further advantaging their lead, but couldn’t find the back of the net.

The two goals in the first half were enough for England to claim the title. The 2-0 victory against Poland meant that England had completed a 100 percent record of five wins in the campaign.

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