England scraped into the Euros semi-finals with a dramatic penalty shootout win over Sweden. The match was an instant classic, one which truly could not have been written. England trailed by two and were all but eliminated at halftime, but battled back into the tie with two quickfire goals from Lucy Bronze and Michelle Agyemang to force extra time.
An odds-defying penalty shootout followed a goalless extra half-hour - just five of 14 spot-kicks were converted. Bronze came up the hero again, though, smashing her sudden-death effort into the roof of the net before Smilla Holmberg lofted her decider into no man’s land to send the Lionesses through.
England’s first-half frailties were laid bare from the word ‘go’ as they floundered under an intense Swedish press, and Jess Carter emerged as an immediate weak link.
Sweden vs England latest news
- GOAL! Agyemang equalises
- GOAL! Bronze pulls one back
- GOAL! Blackstenius doubles Sweden's lead
- GOAL! England error sees Asllani open scoring
- Kick off: 8pm, Stadion Letzigrund
- How to watch: BBC One
Sweden 2-2 England (2-3 pens)
23:10 , Arthur FerridgeEngland scraped into the Euros semi-finals with a dramatic penalty shootout win over Sweden.
The match was an instant classic, one which truly could not have been written. England trailed by two and were all but eliminated at halftime, but battled back into the tie with two quickfire goals from Lucy Bronze and Michelle Agyemang to force extra time.
An odds-defying penalty shootout followed a goalless extra half-hour - just five of 14 spot-kicks were converted. Bronze came up the hero again, though, smashing her sudden-death effort into the roof of the net before Smilla Holmberg lofted her decider into no man’s land to send the Lionesses through.
FULL TIME AFTER PENALTIES: Sweden 2-3 England
22:50 , Arthur FerridgeHolmberg launches it over, and England are through on penalties!
PENALTIES: Sweden 2-3 England
22:50 , Arthur FerridgeThe veteran Lucy Bronze steps up next, and leathers one right down the middle. You’d expect nothing less from a player of her stature. Sweden must score to stay in.
PENALTIES: Sweden 2-2 England
22:49 , Arthur FerridgeJakobsson steps up next and Hampton comes up with the save! Absolutely remarkable shootout. This one will be studied by sports psychologists for decades to come. Books will be written about this shootout.
PENALTIES: Sweden 2-2 England
22:48 , Arthur FerridgeWe move into sudden death, and Grace Clinton rolls a laughably tame penalty at the bottom right corner. Falk recovers from her jitters to save, and now Sweden take one to win it all.
PENALTIES: Sweden 2-2 England
22:48 , Arthur FerridgeThe goalkeeper Falk steps up to take what could be the decisive penalty, and launches it into Row Z! She saves three, then misses one of her own! Where on Earth will her head be as she faces a decisive penalty.
PENALTIES: Sweden 2-2 England
22:47 , Arthur FerridgeChloe Kelly steps up next for the pressure penalty and sends Falk the wrong way. Regardless of the result, she can hold her head high tonight. Now Hampton requires a save.
PENALTIES: Sweden 2-1 England
22:46 , Arthur FerridgeNathalie Bjorn finds the back of the net to hand Sweden the lead. That could prove pivotal. England must score to stay in now.
PENALTIES: Sweden 1-1 England
22:45 , Arthur FerridgeANOTHER MISS??? What’s in the water in Zurich? Alex Greenwood steps up next and Falk produces her third save of the shootout.
PENALTIES: Sweden 1-1 England
22:44 , Arthur FerridgeErikkson misses! She’s hit the post! This is a remarkable shootout - that’s the fourth miss so far!
PENALTIES: Sweden 1-1 England
22:43 , Arthur FerridgeEngland miss again! Beth Mead goes next, and for the third time, goes to the bottom right. Falk flies and gets there first.
PENALTIES: Sweden 1-1 England
22:43 , Arthur FerridgeZigiotti steps up next, and that is a no-nonsense penalty. she takes a short run-up and roofs it. No chance for Hampton. Back on level terms in Zurich.
PENALTIES: Sweden 0-1 England
22:42 , Arthur FerridgeLauren James comes next for England, and her effort is saved too. Falk goes early and guesses correctly to make a comfortable save. James gets very little pace behind that shot.
PENALTIES: Sweden 0-1 England
22:41 , Arthur FerridgeAngeldahl of Real Madrid takes first for Sweden, and HAMPTON SAVES! It is a tame effort from the Swede, and nowhere near close enough to the corner. England lead!
PENALTIES: Sweden 0-1 England
22:41 , Arthur FerridgeRusso puts it away. Of course she does. She goes left and tucks her shot into the side netting. Falk guesses right and can’t reach it.
PENALTIES: Sweden 0-0 England
22:40 , Arthur FerridgeScratch that, England take first. Up steps Alessia Russo.
England win the toss
22:39 , Arthur FerridgeLucy Bronze chooses right, and penalties will be taken in front of the England end. Sweden will take first.
FT ET: Sweden 2-2 England
22:35 , Arthur FerridgeThat does it for the 90, the 30, and the 120.
Penalties it is.
Sweden 2-2 England
22:35 , Arthur Ferridge120+3mins: Lucy Bronze lays it all on the line. She gets her head in front of Janogy’s boot to win a crucial 50/50.
Sweden 2-2 England
22:34 , Arthur Ferridge120+2mins: The free-kick runs out to Russo and she can’t quite get it under control. She drags her shot well wide.
Sweden 2-2 England
22:33 , Arthur Ferridge120mins: Sweden take one last free-kick and Hampton does well to collect. England counter through Mead, who wins a free-kick of her own high up the right flank.
Sweden 2-2 England
22:31 , Arthur Ferridge118mins: Worth pointing out that for your goalkeeper to be dealing with a nosebleed with a penalty shootout now just two minutes away is suboptimal, to say the least.
Sweden 2-2 England
22:30 , Arthur Ferridge117mins: It's a regular field hospital in the England six-yard box as Greenwood’s shoulder is treated, Hampton deals with a nosebleed, and Bronze takes the opportunity to strap up her right hamstring.
Sweden 2-2 England
22:29 , Arthur Ferridge116mins: A three-player collision in the area as that corner goes up. Looks to be Hampton and Greenwood involved.
Blackstenius is replaced by Blomqvist.
Sweden 2-2 England
22:27 , Arthur Ferridge115mins: One last roll of the Swedish dice is on the cards here. Another substitute is being readied as the Blagult win another corner.
Sweden 2-2 England
22:25 , Arthur Ferridge113mins: Penalties will be at the forefront of all 22 players’ minds now, not to mention those of the coaching staff who are likely in the process of establishing their order of takers.
Sweden 2-2 England
22:23 , Arthur Ferridge111mins: England hold firm under a Swedish barrage, and are eventually let off by the offside flag.
Sweden 2-2 England
22:23 , Arthur Ferridge111mins: A wonderful press from Agyemang wins England a high turnover, but Russo does not quite have the wheels to get away from her marker. She looks to have been fouled, but the referee gives the ball back to the Swedes. They attack apace and Janogy has a shot blocked, before Charles gets a crucial touch on Hurtig’s header to keep England in contention.
Sweden 2-2 England
22:21 , Arthur Ferridge109mins: James catches Nilden late to hand Sweden a free-kick in their own penalty area.
Sweden 2-2 England
22:20 , Arthur Ferridge108mins: A huge press from Beth Mead has Sweden under pressure, and Falk blasts a clearance into touch.
2ND HALF EXTRA TIME: Sweden 2-2 England
22:18 , Arthur FerridgeTwo more changes for England as Williamson is replaced by Charles. In the opposite dugout, Nilden and Jakobsson come on for Kaneryd and Andersson.
HT ET: Sweden 2-2 England
22:15 , Arthur FerridgeOne quarter of an hour down, one more to go.
If there is nothing to separate us then, whisper it quietly, we go to penalties.
Sweden 2-2 England
22:14 , Arthur Ferridge105+3mins: One last Sweden chance for the first half of extra time, which is promptly put down as Hampton collects Blackstenius’ cross.
Sweden 2-2 England
22:13 , Arthur Ferridge105+3mins: James is back on, but sporting a quite pronounced limp.
Sweden 2-2 England
22:12 , Arthur Ferridge105+2mins: James receives her treatment and limps back to the touchline. She should be alright to carry on.
Sweden 2-2 England
22:11 , Arthur Ferridge105+1mins: Lauren James is down injured, now, following a tackle from Lina Hurtig. A bit of Chelsea/Arsenal needle for you there as two minutes are added on.
Sweden 2-2 England
22:11 , Arthur Ferridge105mins: The Sweden free kick drops in the area and pinballs around but nobody is there to shoot.
Sweden 2-2 England
22:10 , Arthur Ferridge104mins: Bronze catches Blackstenius late to give Sweden a central free kick. Grace Clinton replaces Keira Walsh.
Sweden 2-2 England
22:08 , Arthur Ferridge103mins: Scratch that - Williamson jogs off. She should be OK to continue.
Sweden 2-2 England
22:08 , Arthur Ferridge103mins: Williamson is back on her feet and walks off under her own volition.
Sweden 2-2 England
22:07 , Arthur Ferridge101mins: The corner is batted away, so too are a handful of follow ups, and a foul on Bjorn ends England’s attack. Leah Williamson looks to have landed awkwardly from an aerial there, rolling her ankle quite badly. She’s down in some discomfort.
Sweden 2-2 England
22:05 , Arthur Ferridge100mins: England win a corner.
Sweden 2-2 England
22:05 , Arthur Ferridge99mins: Some great never-say-die defending from England here - they’re really digging in under intense pressure from the Blagult. If they had defended like this from the off, we could all be booking our tickets to Basel for the semi-final by now....
Sweden 2-2 England
22:04 , Arthur Ferridge98mins: Another deep Sweden cross is headed wide, this time by Chelsea’s Nathalie Bjorn. This could still go either way, but Sweden are taking a good run at this extra time period.
Sweden 2-2 England
22:02 , Arthur Ferridge97mins: Hampton comes for it but doesn’t quite connect, leaving Alessia Russo to clear the lines.
Sweden 2-2 England
22:02 , Arthur Ferridge96mins: Nervous moment for England as Angeldahl fires from range. She is tripped from behind by Agyemang as Hampton palms it away for a corner. Hampton did not need to get a hand on that - it was well off target - can Sweden punish the error?
Sweden 2-2 England
22:00 , Arthur Ferridge95mins: James has a pop from range but doesn’t quite catch it how she wanted. Her effort is blocked and the ball works its way back to the England defence.
Sweden 2-2 England
21:59 , Arthur Ferridge93mins: Bronze dispossesses Janogy to quell Sweden’s push for a winner.
Sweden 2-2 England
21:58 , Arthur Ferridge92mins: A positive start to extra time for England as they flow forward in numbers. You would expect them to do so, given the number of forwards on the pitch now.
ET BEGINS: Sweden 2-2 England
21:56 , Arthur FerridgeAnother half an hour awaits. It is all to play for here in Zurich.
Simon Collings reports
21:51 , Arthur FerridgeAgyemang been excellent since coming on, she's caused Sweden so many problems with her pace and power.
FT: Sweden 2-2 England
21:51 , Arthur FerridgeWe’re going to extra time!
Sweden 2-2 England
21:50 , Arthur Ferridge90+4mins: Kelly’s corner is tipped over the bar by Falk, apparently, and its one last corner for England.
Sweden 2-2 England
21:50 , Arthur Ferridge90+3mins: James hoofs one up to Agyemang and she holds play up brilliantly to wait for support from Russo. Holmberg tracks back at pace to block her shot, though. Seconds remain as Kelly lines up a corner.
Sweden 2-2 England
21:48 , Arthur Ferridge90+1mins: Just when you thought she couldn’t put a foot wrong, Chloe Kelly does exactly that. A late tackle sees her into the book. Three minutes are added on.
Sweden 2-2 England
21:46 , Arthur Ferridge90mins: Zigiotti is booked for a foul on Mead.
Sweden 2-2 England
21:46 , Arthur Ferridge89mins: A yellow shirt hits the deck in the penalty area during that corner, but the referee looks wholly disinterested.
Sweden 2-2 England
21:45 , Arthur Ferridge88mins: More sloppy passing at the back from England and Janogy looks to capitalise, but another strong stop from Hampton keeps the Lionesses hanging on.
Sweden 2-2 England
21:44 , Arthur Ferridge87mins: Mead plucks a cross out of the air and does well to work the space in the box. She squares to Agyemang, but the pass is cut out.
Sweden 2-2 England
21:43 , Arthur Ferridge86mins: Have we all caught our breath yet?
Simon Collings reports
21:39 , Arthur FerridgeA goal from Agyemang. That is why Wiegman is in the dugout and I am not.
GOAL! Sweden 2-2 England
21:38 , Arthur Ferridge80mins: AND THERE’S MICHELLE AGYEMANG WITH THE EQUALISER! It comes from Chloe Kelly again, who drops a cross on the penalty spot which is knocked down for Agyemang to finish.
Simon Collings reports
21:37 , Arthur FerridgeHow long has Kelly been on the pitch? What a ball that is, Bronze couldn't miss.
GOAL! Sweden 2-1 England
21:36 , Arthur Ferridge79mins: ENGLAND PULL ONE BACK THROUGH BRONZE! Chloe Kelly plays a stunning cross to the back post, and finally England break down that yellow wall - Bronze taps home with a tidy header. Who else but her?
Sweden 2-0 England
21:34 , Arthur Ferridge78mins: Asllani is replaced by Hurtig, and Rolfo by Janogy.
Sweden 2-0 England
21:33 , Arthur Ferridge76mins: James is the latest to swing one in for Agyemang, who heads over.
Sweden 2-0 England
21:32 , Arthur Ferridge75mins: Agyemang is clearly a target for England here. Every cross is being dropped on her head. Will the strategy come good?
Sweden 2-0 England
21:32 , Arthur Ferridge75mins: Former Arsenal midfielder Lina Hurtig, generally reliable for a goal, is now getting ready to come on for Sweden.
Sweden 2-0 England
21:31 , Arthur Ferridge73mins: Another set piece goes begging for England. Williamson’s cross comes in from the free-kick and Agyemang flicks on to Hemp, but once again she struggles to get much pace behind her header.
Simon Collings reports
21:29 , Arthur FerridgeAgyemang a proper roll of the dice from Wiegman. She's played 14 minutes of international football in her career...
Sweden 2-0 England
21:27 , Arthur Ferridge69mins: Three changes for the Lionesses. On come Mead, Agyemang, and Morgan. They replace Toone, Carter, and Stanway.
Sweden 2-0 England
21:24 , Arthur Ferridge67mins: James receives a cross from Bronze and sets it to Hemp, but the yellow wall continues to stand firm. Nothing gets through that wall, it appears.
Sweden 2-0 England
21:24 , Arthur Ferridge67mins: Looks like Michelle Agyemang is being readied to come on for England.
Sweden 2-0 England
21:23 , Arthur Ferridge66mins: Less than 25 minutes remain now. England are fast running out of time here.
Sweden 2-0 England
21:22 , Arthur Ferridge65mins: What happened there! A wonderful ball into Toone has her through on goal but she inexplicably decides to square to Hemp rather than go alone. Her pass is intercepted.
Sweden retort and go at goal through Kaneryd, but her effort curls beyond the far post.
Sweden 2-0 England
21:21 , Arthur Ferridge64mins: Bronze latches onto a high ball and heads it into a dangerous area, but Falk gets there over Hemp. Only narrowly, though.
Sweden 2-0 England
21:20 , Arthur Ferridge63mins: Appeals for handball from those in yellow as Walsh’s clearance rockets off the hand of Bronze. She knew nothing about it, though, and the referee does not penalise.
Simon Collings reports
21:19 , Arthur FerridgeCannot be long before Wiegman unloads the bench. Time running out and England need to change things.
Sweden 2-0 England
21:18 , Arthur Ferridge62mins: Lundkvist is replaced by the 18-year-old Holmberg for Sweden.
Sweden 2-0 England
21:17 , Arthur Ferridge60mins: Greenwood’s cross is cleared away unproblematically. It is put back in and pinballs around, but nothing comes of it. Williamson is down in the area after losing an aerial duel, but does not appeal for a penalty.
Sweden 2-0 England
21:16 , Arthur Ferridge59mins: Walsh finds a great pass into the feet of Russo who in turn tees up James, but her long-range effort is tipped behind for a corner.
Sweden 2-0 England
21:12 , Arthur Ferridge55mins: As much as England are stepping on the gas, Sweden are still just so incisive. Asllani plays one through the eye of a needle to Blackstenius, who gets beyond two markers to fire at goal, but again Hampton comes up trumps with an important save.
Sweden 2-0 England
21:11 , Arthur Ferridge54mins: Russo and Hemp trip over one another as they look to kick off an attack, and are forced to retreat to Williamson. England, if nothing else, and not short of desire. Will their efforts be rewarded?
Sweden 2-0 England
21:09 , Arthur Ferridge52mins: Back down to Earth for England as Leah Williamson is hounded down by Blackstenius as she looks to play out from the back.
Sweden 2-0 England
21:08 , Arthur Ferridge50mins: Close for England! Bronze’s tackle sets Lauren James free down the right and she puts a perfect cross over to Hemp at the back post. She looks to head across goal, but the pass is just barely behind her and the effort goes wide.
Simon Collings reports
21:06 , Arthur FerridgeIt's a low bar, but better from England in this opening five minutes. Playing with far more positivity. First 15 minutes of this half feels huge.
Sweden 2-0 England
21:06 , Arthur Ferridge49mins: Hemp feeds Toone in behind, and her close-range shot is saved, but the flag is up regardless.
Sweden 2-0 England
21:06 , Arthur Ferridge48mins: Blackstenius gets caught in the corner and attempts a cross, but it goes behind for a goal kick, which Hampton takes short.
Sweden 2-0 England
21:04 , Arthur Ferridge47mins: It is a lively start to the half for England! Lucy Bronze makes a marauding run down the right and hits a cross-field ball to Hemp, but she can’t hold onto it.
Sweden 2-0 England
21:03 , Arthur Ferridge45mins: You would have to say, if anyone can pull off a comeback like this, it would be England. It will require a fast start to the half, though.
2ND HALF: Sweden 2-0 England
21:01 , Arthur FerridgeNo changes for either side as we get back underway in Zurich.
HALF TIME: Sweden 2-0 England
20:48 , Arthur FerridgeThe corner is dealt with and that does it for the first half. A commanding lead for Sweden - what does Sarina Wiegman have to say about that?
Sweden 2-0 England
20:47 , Arthur Ferridge45+1mins: A huge save from Hampton! Rolfo goes forward alone and shoots from the edge of the area, but the Chelsea starlet keeps it out and, in doing so, keeps England in the game. They are not out of the woods yet, though, as a corner swings in.
Sweden 2-0 England
20:46 , Arthur Ferridge45mins: England have been much improved in the last ten minutes or so, but are still struggling to create much goal threat. They have only mustered the one shot on target so far.
One minute of injury time is added.
Sweden 2-0 England
20:44 , Arthur Ferridge44mins: Hemp loses the ball and Sweden pour forward. Kaneryd looks to pull on back into the box but sees her ball blocked.
Sweden 2-0 England
20:41 , Arthur Ferridge40mins: Not many better times to pull one back than now. England will need to make good on this pressure sooner rather than later if they are to move on in the tournament tonight.
Sweden 2-0 England
20:39 , Arthur Ferridge39mins: England’s free-kick is cleared out but only as far as Lauren James, whose shot cannot get through the yellow wall in front of her.
Sweden 2-0 England
20:39 , Arthur Ferridge39mins: Hemp receives treatment and looks OK to continue.
Sweden 2-0 England
20:37 , Arthur Ferridge37mins: Hemp runs into Lundkvist and wins a free kick in an excellent position.
Sweden 2-0 England
20:36 , Arthur Ferridge36mins: Hemp’s turn to whip a cross in now, and Sweden deal with it, but how long can they cope with this pressure? The tide is slowly turning...
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