England reach Euro 2025 semis after shootout win over Sweden
Smilla Holmberg blasted over from the spot to settle the shootout drama in Zurich after the match finished 2-2 thanks to Lucy Bronze and Michelle Agyemang's quick-fire strikes just as England looked to be limping out of the tournament.
The reigning European champions were staring at elimination with 11 minutes remaining in normal time after Kosovare Asllani, who opened the scoring with her 50th international goal in the second minute, and Stina Blackstenius shot Sweden into a two-goal lead at half-time.
"That was one of the hardest games I have ever watched. We could have been out four or five times," England boss Sarina Wiegman told the BBC.
"We started badly. We didn't create anything so we changed shape and we scored two goals which was crazy. The shootout, we missed a lot but they missed more and we're through."
England will face Italy, who are in the last four for the first time since 1997, in the last four in Geneva on Tuesday after a rollercoaster comeback.
"Not how we planned it to be, of course, but it's a learning experience that we put in our back pocket and learn from going forward," Chloe Kelly, who was key to both England goals and took one of the few good penalties of the shootout, told reporters.
"We solved the problems and then it was about getting back in the game. The resilience of the team is incredible."
Defeat ended Sweden's bid for a first major honour since winning the first official Euros back in 1984, Peter Gerhardsson's team falling in the most painful of fashions.
Goalkeeper Jennifer Falk, who saved four penalties, had the chance to send Sweden through but like Holmberg she scooped her effort over the bar and gave England the chance to reach the last four.
"All analysis feels fairly pointless right now, right now it's melancholy. You feel a certain sadness that it turned out this way," said Sweden coach Peter Gerhardsson.
- England survive -
England scored 10 goals in their final two Group D matches to reach the last eight but showed none of that attacking flair in the early stages at the Letzigrund Stadium.
Sweden were on the front foot from the off and somehow it was no surprise when Asllani drilled home her opener after just one minute and 46 seconds, the attacking midfielder being left completely free to collect Blackstenius' lay-off and score.
Jess Carter's loose pass led to that goal and moments later goalkeeper Hannah Hampton almost gifted Blackstenius her third goal of the tournament after miscontrolling the ball and allowing the Arsenal striker to bear down on an open goal before Leah Williamson slid in to cut out the danger.
Lauren Hemp's pot shot was brilliantly tipped onto the bar by Falk but that was a rare bright spot in a dismal opening half for England, who were deservedly two behind at the break.
Blackstenius showed how lethal she can be in the 25th minute when she raced in behind a dozing English defence, collected Julia Zigiotti Olme's pass, held off Carter and slotted home.
England were brighter after the restart and Hemp should have halved the deficit when she failed to direct Lauren James' cross on target.
And Bronze gave England hope by heading home a searching cross in the 79th minute from Kelly, one of four late substitutions alongside Agyemang who two minutes later reacted quickest to a loose ball and prodded England level.
Extra time passed without much incident and that left the shootout in which a parade of poor penalties ended with Holmberg ballooning her effort way over and sending England through.
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News.com.au
a day ago
- News.com.au
England reach Euro 2025 semis after shootout win over Sweden
England roared into the semi-finals of Women's Euro 2025 on Thursday after coming back from two goals down and then beating Sweden 3-2 in a chaotic penalty shoot-out to continue their title defence. Smilla Holmberg blasted over from the spot to settle the shootout drama in Zurich after the match finished 2-2 thanks to Lucy Bronze and Michelle Agyemang's quick-fire strikes just as England looked to be limping out of the tournament. The reigning European champions were staring at elimination with 11 minutes remaining in normal time after Kosovare Asllani, who opened the scoring with her 50th international goal in the second minute, and Stina Blackstenius shot Sweden into a two-goal lead at half-time. "That was one of the hardest games I have ever watched. We could have been out four or five times," England boss Sarina Wiegman told the BBC. "We started badly. We didn't create anything so we changed shape and we scored two goals which was crazy. The shootout, we missed a lot but they missed more and we're through." England will face Italy, who are in the last four for the first time since 1997, in the last four in Geneva on Tuesday after a rollercoaster comeback. "Not how we planned it to be, of course, but it's a learning experience that we put in our back pocket and learn from going forward," Chloe Kelly, who was key to both England goals and took one of the few good penalties of the shootout, told reporters. "We solved the problems and then it was about getting back in the game. The resilience of the team is incredible." Defeat ended Sweden's bid for a first major honour since winning the first official Euros back in 1984, Peter Gerhardsson's team falling in the most painful of fashions. Goalkeeper Jennifer Falk, who saved four penalties, had the chance to send Sweden through but like Holmberg she scooped her effort over the bar and gave England the chance to reach the last four. "All analysis feels fairly pointless right now, right now it's melancholy. You feel a certain sadness that it turned out this way," said Sweden coach Peter Gerhardsson. - England survive - England scored 10 goals in their final two Group D matches to reach the last eight but showed none of that attacking flair in the early stages at the Letzigrund Stadium. Sweden were on the front foot from the off and somehow it was no surprise when Asllani drilled home her opener after just one minute and 46 seconds, the attacking midfielder being left completely free to collect Blackstenius' lay-off and score. Jess Carter's loose pass led to that goal and moments later goalkeeper Hannah Hampton almost gifted Blackstenius her third goal of the tournament after miscontrolling the ball and allowing the Arsenal striker to bear down on an open goal before Leah Williamson slid in to cut out the danger. Lauren Hemp's pot shot was brilliantly tipped onto the bar by Falk but that was a rare bright spot in a dismal opening half for England, who were deservedly two behind at the break. Blackstenius showed how lethal she can be in the 25th minute when she raced in behind a dozing English defence, collected Julia Zigiotti Olme's pass, held off Carter and slotted home. England were brighter after the restart and Hemp should have halved the deficit when she failed to direct Lauren James' cross on target. And Bronze gave England hope by heading home a searching cross in the 79th minute from Kelly, one of four late substitutions alongside Agyemang who two minutes later reacted quickest to a loose ball and prodded England level. Extra time passed without much incident and that left the shootout in which a parade of poor penalties ended with Holmberg ballooning her effort way over and sending England through. td/mw/rcw
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a day ago
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The Italy-born, England-raised playmaker finished school and moved to Australia in 2021 and has flourished under Wallabies coach-in-waiting Les Kiss as the Queensland Reds' main man for the last two years. He'll make Australian rugby history as the first father-son Wallabies to face the Lions after Michael Lynagh wore the No.10 against the Lions in 1989. English lock Maro Itoje will captain a Lions side that had no room for exciting flanker Henry Pollock, in-form Welsh backrower Jac Morgan or coach Andy Farrell's son, Owen. WALLABIES: James Slipper, Matt Faessler, Allan Alaalatoa, Nick Frost, Jeremy Williams, Nick Champion de Crespigny, Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson (c), Jake Gordon, Tom Lynagh, Harry Potter, Len Ikitau, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Max Jorgensen, Tom Wright. Bench: Billy Pollard, Angus Bell, Tom Robertson, Tom Hooper, Carlo Tizzano, Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson, Andrew Kellaway. Wallabies "psycho" Nick Champion de Crespigny has been thrust into a shock debut in the British & Irish Lions opener as coach Joe Schmidt plots a Brisbane boilover. The flanker, one of just two uncapped players in the 36-strong squad, surged into calculations after injury to pivotal backrower Rob Valetini and the in-form Langi Gleeson. Hulking lock Will Skelton, who missed the Fiji Test with a calf niggle, remains sidelined in another huge blow to the underdogs. Schmidt said all three were nearing full fitness and expects them to be available for next Saturday's second Test in Melbourne. Canberra-raised Champion de Crespigny returned from a Top 14 stint with Castres Olympique to play for the Western Force this season to join the back of a bulging queue of contenders. But, with two-time defending John Eales Medallist Valetini and Gleeson on ice - former captain Liam Wright (shoulder) is also out of the picture - he'll be asked to dent a Lions line that has enjoyed five relatively comfortable wins since arriving in the country late last month. "Big shoes to fill," Schmidt said of the debutant, who brings an aerial threat at lineouts and starch on either side of the ball. "He was on the radar (12 months ago). Not necessarily right in the middle, but in the periphery and got a little bit closer as the season wound on." Backrow partner Fraser McReight was less diplomatic. "He's a psycho; loves contact and ready to go," the No.7 said. "Loves the physical nature of the game. I've heard all the stories from the Force boys." The coach also backed "quietly confident" 22-year-old Tom Lynagh to steer the ship in a new-look halves combination with Jake Gordon. Ben Donaldson will provide backline back-up on the bench, with Schmidt resisting the temptation to recall veteran James O'Connor, who wore the No.10 in all three Tests 12 years ago. Hooker Matt Faessler returns after a last-start hat-trick in gold, having started for the Reds instead of playing against Fiji in his comeback from a hamstring injury. Andrew Kellaway has bumped Filipo Daugunu off a new-look bench that includes hooker Billy Pollard, scrumhalf Tate McDermott, prop Tom Robertson and flankers Tom Hooper and Carlo Tizzano. James Slipper will join George Smith as the only Wallabies to feature in back-to-back Lions series in the professional era while No.8 Harry Wilson has retained the captaincy. Lynagh hasn't played since the Reds lost their Super Rugby quarter-final in early June, with a broken hand ruling him out of the Fiji Test. The Italy-born, England-raised playmaker finished school and moved to Australia in 2021 and has flourished under Wallabies coach-in-waiting Les Kiss as the Queensland Reds' main man for the last two years. He'll make Australian rugby history as the first father-son Wallabies to face the Lions after Michael Lynagh wore the No.10 against the Lions in 1989. English lock Maro Itoje will captain a Lions side that had no room for exciting flanker Henry Pollock, in-form Welsh backrower Jac Morgan or coach Andy Farrell's son, Owen. WALLABIES: James Slipper, Matt Faessler, Allan Alaalatoa, Nick Frost, Jeremy Williams, Nick Champion de Crespigny, Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson (c), Jake Gordon, Tom Lynagh, Harry Potter, Len Ikitau, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Max Jorgensen, Tom Wright. Bench: Billy Pollard, Angus Bell, Tom Robertson, Tom Hooper, Carlo Tizzano, Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson, Andrew Kellaway.
