Women's Euro 2025: England's wild win and countdown to Spain v Switzerland

The Guardian

18-07-2025

Update:
Date: 2025-07-18T11:56:07.000Z
Title: Swedish media reacted with incredulity and indignation
Content: Big match buildup, team news and previews
Why not email Emillia with your thoughts
Emillia Hawkins
Fri 18 Jul 2025 13.56 CEST
First published on Fri 18 Jul 2025 11.00 CEST
1.56pm CEST
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Marcus Christenson
after the country's women's team lost the Euro 2025 quarter-final to England on penalties.
1.46pm CEST
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The first Euro 2025 semi-final has been set. England will face Italy in Geneva for a place in the final on July 27.
The semi-final will take place next Tuesday.
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Euro 2025 knockout schedule:
Quarter-finals - July 16-19
Semi-finals – July 22-23
Final – July 27
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The Spain defender Irene Paredes said the world champions would have to be calm in the face of the home support tonight. 'We need to be patient,' she said. 'They will have the crowd behind them, so they will come out very strong.
'They're a team who know exactly what they're about. They defend in great numbers and also get a lot of their players into the box to attack. They have very direct players and their midfielders love to keep the ball. Like I said, we'll have to be very alert.'
1.14pm CEST
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The Switzerland defender Noelle Maritz has opened up about the support the team have received at their home tournament this summer.
She said: 'The support we have had is impossible do describe. We all thought that there would be a good atmosphere at a home tournament … but on this scale? It gives you a lot of energy when you see the fans marching towards the stadium. You saw it at the Finland game – and to be able to share that success with the fans was really something.'
On the Spain match, she added: 'We are very much looking forward to the game. We know that it will be hard but we also believe in our qualities. We have had a lot of meetings, have watched a lot of clips and have a good gameplan.
'You can see that in the last few weeks and the last few games we have grown into a stronger unit. We have a super team spirit and have been able to take a lot of positive energy from the past two games. We have a good feeling about this game.'
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The Switzerland coach Pia Sundhage has said that she and her players watched clips from when the Swiss men's team beat Spain in the 2010 World Cup for inspiration before the countries meet in the Euro 2025 quarter-finals in Berne today.
Updated
at 1.21pm CEST
12.58pm CEST
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World champions Spain face tournament hosts Switzerland tonight in another quarter-final clash.
Spain are the favourites going into the match, but Switzerland will be desperate to cause an upset in Bern. Let's look ahead to the match…
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Euro 2025 quarter-finals:
Norway 1-2 Italy
Sweden 2-2 (2-3 on penalties) England
Spain v Switzerland
France v Germany
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David Hopkins messaged in about the penalty shootout:
'As exciting as it was, I was slightly surprised that the coverage of last night's penalties tended towards the line of it having been amazing, and that even those who missed (on both sides) were brave to have stepped up. It strikes me as a bit patronising, rather than pointing out that many of those penalties were, frankly, a bit rubbish.'
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Samuel Dodson emailed in with his take on Sarina Wiegman's team selection – and pitched a brilliant Lucy Bronze chant:
'Think we are all still processing the insanity of the best/worst penalty shootout ever last night. Fair to say the scenes and mood in the pub shifted compared to the half time low. Agree with Nik that Wiegman seriously needs to consider her defensive options for Italy, though of course it will be not without risk to make a change at the semi final. However, without change: the writing is on the wall and while the Italians might not punish it (although Curruso and co have the pace to do so), France, Germany or Spain would all run right through us/Carter.
'But before getting to the tactics, can we take a moment to appreciate the glorious cool penalty from Kelly and the absurd performance that Bronze put in to wrestle us back into the game in the second half?
'Spandau Ballet need to update their song I think:
'Let's hear it for Lucy Bronze (Bronze!) a metal that's better than gold; she shoots and she always scores goals; she's indestructible, oh, always believe in Lucy Bronze!'
12.24pm CEST
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Jonathan Liew
'The Letzigrund looks gorgeous under a pale pastel evening sun. The noise washes over the athletic track where Carl Lewis and Asafa Powell once broke the world record, and where Sweden are now flying out of the blocks and leaving England trailing in their dust.
We do not yet know that in many ways this is simply the prologue, that this devastating early two-goal flurry is actually relatively benign in comparison with the carnage that will follow…'
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Anil Patel has messaged in from Zurich after watching the match at Stadion Letzigrund last night:
'I was at Stadion Letzigrund last night and at half time was wondering whether to sell my tickets for the semi-final in Geneva. I also thought to myself that I'd take extra time and the lottery of penalties at that point. The glory of football, the reason it's the best sport, is that sometimes it's about skill, tactics and professionalism, and sometimes it's just pure chaos.'
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Sarina Wiegman said England never doubted Hannah Hampton's ability after the Lionesses goalkeeper made two crucial shootout saves to help send England through to the Euro 2025 semi-finals amid remarkable drama in Zurich.
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Nik has messaged in with some thoughts on England's team selection and route to the final:
'Sarina must swap Carter out, the weakness here is too much to be ignored. We may ride it out against the Italians but will be punished by Spain or France in the final, if we get there. I don't think Germany have enough to make it to be honest.'
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Speaking to BBC Sport at full-time, England manager Sarina Wiegman said: 'It was hard. One of the hardest games I've ever watched. Very emotional. We could've been out four or five times during the game. When you're 2-0 down at half-time it's not good. We started really badly and then at the end of the first half we got better and in the second half we got better but we didn't create anything so we had to change shape. Then we scored two goals so that was crazy already.
'Then we go into extra-time, some players injured, some players cramping, Hannah Hampton with blood all over the place. Then we go to the penalty shootout and we miss a lot but they miss even more and we're through!
'I need to decompress I think!'
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Following last night's match, England striker Michelle Agyemang said: 'It was a crucial moment as they were under so much pressure, sometimes it's hard to convert those into goals, but we did what we did and we are here now today, so we can't be happier.
'These games build your character as a player, it is great to be a part of and I am grateful to have been on the pitch and shared that moment with the rest of my teammates, and, you know, our fight, resilience and character was shown today.'
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I want to hear from you today! Feel free to email me with your thoughts on last night's match. Who impressed you the most? Who was your Player of the Match? Thoughts on the penalty shootout?
Also, let me know your score predictions for tonight's game!
11.28am CEST
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Tom Garry rated the performances of both Sweden and England last night. Click here to see who impressed the most…
11.18am CEST
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England appeared down and out when Sarina Wiegman made her first three substitutions at the 70-minute mark last night. Chloe Kelly and Michelle Agyemang especially made all the difference as the Lionesses scored two goals in 103 seconds.
For the first, Kelly delivered a perfect cross to Lucy Bronze at the back post, who headed past Jennifer Falk to close the gap. Then, just moments later, Kelly sent another ball into the box which was headed down by Beth Mead to Michelle Agyemang, who scored her first major tournament goal to fire England level.
The very definition of impact substitutions.
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If you want to relive the drama from last night, be sure to give Suzanne Wrack's match report a read…
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Wow. Have we all recovered from last night's match yet? I think I'm just about getting there!
In case you somehow missed it, England came from 2-0 down to beat Sweden in arguably the most dramatic way possible. Hannah Hampton was the hero as the Lionesses won 3-2 on penalties after NINE spot-kicks were missed.
I'll bring you all the reaction from that Euro 2025 quarter-final clash throughout the day, while also counting down to kick-off in tonight's match between Spain and Switzerland.
Join me!
Updated
at 11.07am CEST