England team guide
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
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England have reached four of the last eight finals and sealed their spot in Israel in dramatic fashion.
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Coach Mo Marley began the elite round week with a talk about "a long journey with challenges", but even she could not have anticipated the unprecedented denouement.
A refereeing error meant that Leah Williamson had to retake a penalty three days after it was initially awarded against Norway – miss and England were out, score and they were through. "They were the longest 24 hours of my life," admitted Williamson. "I went through so many emotions."
In the event, she made no mistake – the right-back's fourth penalty in three elite round games for an England team given a bye in the qualifying round. It is easy to forget, too, that England were down to ten players and trailing 2-0 after 86 minutes of that match, which they duly drew 2-2.
Route to finals
Qualifying round: bye
Elite round: 2-2 Norway, 9-1 Northern Ireland, 3-1 Switzerland
Top scorer: Leah Williamson (4)
Key players
Katie Zelem (midfielder, Liverpool LFC), Natasha Flint (forward, Manchester City FC)
Manager: Mo Marley
Date of birth: 31/01/1967
Playing career: Everton LFC, England
Coaching career: Everton LFC, England women's U19
England's captain at the 2001 UEFA European Women's Championship, centre-back Marley's efforts promoting the sport earned her an MBE – a civil honour – in 2005. She has been England's women's U19 coach since 2001 and in 2008 became the second Englishwoman to acquire the UEFA Pro licence.
Marley combined her international commitments with her role as Everton coach until October 2012, leading the club to a League Cup in 2008 and the FA Women's Cup two years later. In between she guided England to the U19 title in Belarus at Sweden's expense.
UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship record
2013/14: group stage
2012/13: runners-up
2011/12: group stage
2010/11: did not qualify
2009/10: runners-up
2008/09: winners
2007/08: group stage
2006/07: runners-up
2005/06: did not qualify
2004/05: group stage (sixth)
2003/04: did not qualify
2002/03: semi-finals
2001/02: semi-finals
Honours in other UEFA women's competitions
UEFA European Women's Championship
Runners-up: 2009