England Women reach Under-19 European Championship finals after retaken penalty... from match played five days earlier

Captain Leah Williamson holds her nerve for what must have been one of the most high pressure spot-kicks ever taken

Leah Williamson held her nerve to score with the retaken penalty from Saturday’s game (Getty Images)

England Under-19 women reached the European Championship finals in Israel in July in bizarre fashion, with Leah Williamson scoring with a retaken penalty from a match on Saturday.

Uefa’s decision to play the last few minutes of the match last night followed an incident near the end of Saturday’s game against Norway at Belfast’s Seaview Stadium when England were trailing 2-1 and were awarded a late penalty.

Williamson’s spot-kick was converted but referee Marija Kurtes disallowed the goal and awarded Norway an indirect free-kick because an England player had entered the box before her team-mate struck the ball.

While the laws of the game state that Kurtes was right to disallow the goal, she should have ordered England to retake the penalty. Uefa then ruled that the teams should play out the last few moments of the game last night.

Earlier in the day England beat Switzerland 3-1, with Williamson also scoring from the spot. Mo Marley’s side went into the surreal encounter knowing a draw would book their place in Israel. The Norwegians also celebrated at the end of the 2-2 draw as they reached the finals as one of the best runners-up.