ZURICH (TIP)- 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 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.
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