GB reach semi-finals at Goalball Europeans

Ten years on from being crowned European champions, Great Britain’s women’s goalball team are on the march again as they qualified for the semi-finals of this year’s edition with a 6-2 win over Russia.

Saddled with a tricky quarter-final draw on the first day of knockout competition, reigning world champions Russia stood between GB and a place in the final four of the Rostock championships.

But having missed out on the Rio Paralympics three years ago, the resolve to put things right was clear as they raced into a 3-0 lead at half-time.

The GB squad of Sarah Leiter, Antonia Bunyan, Georgie Bullen, Meme Robertson, Kali Holder and Megan Smithson-Booth did not let up in the second, scoring three more to seal a 6-2 triumph, with full-time celebrations evidence of their delight.

The win is made all the more remarkable considering the side’s mixed fortunes in the group stages; in four matches they won one, drew one and lost two.

Victory means that they will face Israel – who GB edged out 4-3 in the pool stages – for a place in Sunday’s final, a game that gets underway at 8am UK time on Saturday.

Image credit: Binh Truong/DBS