England's dramatic winner vs Italy would've been CANCELLED if radical plan is approved

England's last-gasp winner against Italy would NOT have counted under a potential new rule which has been suggested.

The Lionesses were trailing 1-0 in the semi-final and it looked like Barbara Bonansea's goal was going to send the Azzurri to the final on Sunday.

But England threw everything and in the 96th minute, Michelle Agyemang popped up with another dramatic equaliser after her heroics against Sweden in the quarter final.

The 19-year-old's strike forced extra time, which could not separate the two sides as penalties loomed.

That was until Beth Mead was taken down by some extensive holding inside the area with minutes left on the clock, allowing Arsenal teammate Chloe Kelly the chance to send England into the final with a 119th minute spot-kick.

Kelly, England's match-winner in the 2022 final at Wembley, stepped up and performed her unique run-up but Laura Giuliani guessed the right way and made the save - only for the ball to rebound right back to the 27-year old who slotted home before wheeling away in euphoria.

UEFA's stance on IFAB's radical penalty change

The laws in football are constantly evolving and changing - with a recent introduction seeing a corner kick given for goalkeepers who hold on to the ball for too long.

But a recent rule change discussed involved penalty kicks, meaning that a taker like Kelly or any teammates are not allowed to run in for the rebound.

Once the goalkeeper saves the penalty, the sequence would be over and the ball would be "dead" like in a shoot-out.

Chloe Kelly would not have been able to score the follow-up under the proposed rule. Image: Getty

According to Martyn Ziegler of The Times, talks have taken place around the potential penalty tweak, with UEFA strongly opposing it.

After seeing Kelly find the net at the second time of asking, the journalist took to X and wrote: "UEFA will also oppose moves to change rule on penalties so that if keeper saves the ball becomes dead (such a change - backed by some senior football figures - would have prevented England’s Chloe Kelly scoring from her saved kick)."

In the article published, Ziegler stated that if the suggestion was to gather momentum to the point of football's lawmakers IFAB were to consider the change, extensive trials across different competitions would likely be needed prior to any verdict being given.

The feeling from those onboard is that it would help eliminate encroachment from other players, while they argue that being given a clear shot from 12 yards is already a big enough advantage.

"I’ve already mentioned this in discussions we’ve had at IFAB," Pierluigi Collina, Chairman of the FIFA referees committee said.

"One solution is the ‘one shot’ rule. Just like in penalty shootouts after extra time.

"No rebound. Either you score or play resumes with a goal kick, period. This would also eliminate the spectacle we see before a penalty is taken, with everyone crowding around the area. It looks like horses at the starting gates before the Palio di Siena."

Rebounds have been allowed on penalties for a while now, with the only sticking point being that a player does not get a follow up if the ball hits the post without a team from the goalkeeper and comes back.

England will face familiar foes in the third consecutive final, with Germany and Spain - both recent opponents in big showpieces, competing in Wednesday's semi-final.