England Women join Men in Euros semi-final defeat
England Women joined the Men’s team in a defeat in their semi-final match against Germany at the 2026 European Box Lacrosse Championships in Prague, Czechia earlier today.
Having defeated Germany in over-time in the Group Stage earlier in the competition, England played well but four goals from Ellie Racle weren’t enough to see them to victory.
The first 15-minute period was back and forth, Germany scoring first through Kim Dressendöerfer before Torz Anderson hit back.
Dressendöerfer scored her second to put her team ahead before England once again levelled the scores through Karma Kabbani just before quarter-time.
An equally close second quarter saw no difference between the teams heading into half-time after Tessa Helf and Lotte Barker’s goals for Germany were cancelled out by England after strikes from Rosie Bathurst and a second for Anderson.
Helf started the second half with another goal but England edged themselves in front for the first time in the match after goals from Racle and Georgie Rutter.
England were looking to further capitalise on the narrow lead but instead the momentum shifted towards the opposition who scored three in a row; Racle hit another before the break to reduce the deficit to one with the final period to go.
Dressendöerfer, playing an outstanding game, scored two more either side of a third Racle goal to keep Germany in front with less than six minutes to play but an 11th Germany goal this time from Tabea Quilitz probably left England with too much to do with just four minutes left.
Despite this, England continued to push, showing that never say die attitude that had proved so successful for them throughout the competition so far, and finished the game with two goals thanks to Amelia Foord and Racle.
With two seconds remaining after England’s final goal, they fell to defeat in their first ever Euros semi-final and play Ireland in tomorrow’s third place game.
England Women Scorers | Ellie Racle (4G, 2A), Torz Anderson (2G), Rosie Bathurst (1G, 1A), Amelia Foord (1G, 1A), Karma Kabbani (1G, 1A), Georgie Rutter (1G, 1A), Iandra Lamplugh (1A).