Friday 10 April 2015 15:27, UK
Leah Williamson scored from the penalty spot in England’s unprecedented 16-second ‘replay’ with Norway, sealing a 2-2 draw to clinch their place at this summer’s European Championship in Israel.
UEFA ordered the final seconds of Saturday’s match to be replayed after a blunder from referee Marija Kurtes, who incorrectly awarded Norway a free-kick for encroachment after Williamson had converted a 96th minute penalty.
The original match finished 2-1 to Norway - which would have seen them qualify for Israel at the expense of England - but the FA lodged an appeal with UEFA who ordered the remainder of the match be played again, starting with the spot-kick.
The players took to the field at Belfast’s Seaview Stadium at 9.45pm on Thursday and England's Young Player of the Year Williamson demonstrated iron nerves to convert from the spot, sending the ball low to the goalkeeper’s right.
England cut short their celebrations as Norway kicked-off, but a shot from the halfway line failed to trouble England keeper Caitlin Leach, who collected the ball and ran the clock down before kicking it away.
The newly-appointed referee for the match promptly blew the full-time whistle cueing a pitch invasion from the squad and coaching staff as England celebrated their qualification for this summer’s Championship.
Speaking to Sky Sports News HQ after the game, Williamson said: "I just joked with the girls that I've not felt like that before except when i took my driving test! That's the only thing I can compare the nerves to.
"I think we just embraced it. Nothing like this has ever happened before. If I'd have said I didn't want to take it or I'd missed then what would have been the point in coming all this way. When an opportuinty is there you just have to grasp it. This is why you play football, for days like this."
But it was not all doom and gloom for Norway after the defeat against England as results went in their favour to ensure they also qualified for Euro 2015 as the highest ranked runner-ups.
Earlier in the day, England recorded a 3-1 win over Switzerland while Norway had thrashed Northern Ireland 8-1.
