Sweden 2-2 England (England win on penalties)
By Eloise Smallbone (18/07/2025)
Above: England celebrate a dramatic comeback win against Sweden. Photo: Lionesses on X.
England are through to the semi-finals of Euro 2025. The Lionesses produced an impressive comeback win, after going 2-0 down to Sweden in the first half. They then drew level in the second half, taking the game to extra time at 2-2. The tie then went all the way to a remarkable penalty shootout.
The stage was set for an exciting match-up between Sweden and England, who are currently ranked as the fifth and sixth in the world. The two nations had previously met in the semi-finals of Euro 2022, with England producing a convincing 4-0 win. However, the circumstances were very different before this match. Sweden were on a winning streak of 15 matches, whereas England’s form had been much less consistent. However they had recently had two emphatic wins at the tournament, against the Netherlands and Wales.
It was not long after the whistle that Sweden put themselves ahead, with Kosovare Asllani scoring her 50th goal for Sweden with less than two minutes on the clock. Asllani capitalised on a defensive mistake from Jess Carter and put her country 1-0 up. Sweden continued to pile the pressure on England, with Leah Williamson making a crucial block in the fifth minute, to prevent Stina Blackstenius from putting Sweden 2-0 up.
The opening 15 minutes of the game were reminiscent of England’s first game of the tournament, against France, with England struggling to effectively maintain their defensive shape against Sweden. Blackstenius was able to capitalise on England’s defensive mistakes and inaccurate passes and scored Sweden’s second goal of the evening after outpacing Carter.
Sweden went into half-time with a two-goal advantage over England, leaving the Lionesses with a mountain to climb in the second half. Hannah Hampton had been called into action on multiple occasions before the half-time whistle and England had struggled to create any clear-cut chances.
Sweden were significantly stronger in transition phases than England, moving the ball up the pitch faster, and they were also quick to capitalise on the occasions that England gave the ball away in the midfield. Blackstenius stood out as one of Sweden’s strongest players, holding the ball up and making driving runs that England’s defenders struggled to shut down, despite many of them having played either with or against her in the WSL.
However, England came out for the second half with determination and grit, and they piled the pressure on Sweden from the start of the second half. Ella Toone had a chance in the 49th minute, and England began to get their attackers further forward on the pitch. Lauren Hemp also had several chances but was unable to get England back in the game.
It was not until Sarina Wiegman made her substitutions after the 70th minute that England got themselves back into the game. Wiegman made a strong attacking change, bringing on Esme Morgan, Michelle Agyemang, and Beth Mead for Jess Carter, Georgia Stanway and Ella Toone. She then brought on Chloe Kelly for Lauren Hemp, whose performance was crucial in England’s victory. Sweden also made changes at this point, having already brought on Smilla Holmberg for Hanna Lundkvist, and Lina Hurtig and Madelen Janogy replaced Asllani and Fridolina Rolfӧ.
Kelly’s impact was evident as soon as she came off the bench, scoring an assist within two minutes of making her way onto the pitch. She provided the cross to Lucy Bronze, who headed the ball into the back of the net in the 79th minute, starting England’s comeback. Kelly then sent the ball into the penalty box within three minutes of England’s first goal, for Mead to head it to Agyemang, who made it 2-2. Kelly brought an energy in England’s attack which had previously been missing, and Wiegman’s substitutes proved to be the difference which sent the tie to extra time.
Bronze’s determination and resilience shone in extra time of the game especially. Williamson had to be substituted due to an ankle injury, after which Bronze took the armband. Neither Sweden nor England were able to settle the tie in the additional 30 minutes, with both goalkeepers being tested. The game then went to a penalty shootout.
England started the penalty shootout, with Alessia Russo scoring England’s first penalty. Filippa Angeldahl was unable to bring Sweden level, with Hampton saving her penalty kick. Lauren James took the next spot-kick for England; however her effort was saved by Jennifer Falk.
Mead, Alex Greenwood and Grace Clinton all had their penalties saved, whilst Zigiotti Olme scored for Sweden, but Magdalena Eriksson, Nathalie Bjӧrn, Falk and Sofia Jakobssen were not able to send Sweden through. Kelly scored her penalty kick for England, before Bronze heroically sent her penalty into the roof of the net. Holmberg then put her effort over the bar, sending England through to a third consecutive semi-final.
England will face Italy on Tuesday 22nd July at 20:00 BST.
TEAMS: SWEDEN (4-3-3): Falk, Andersson, Eriksson, Björn, Lundkvist, Zigiotti Olme, Asllani (c), Angeldahl, Rolfö, Blackstenius, Rytting Kaneryd. Substitutes: Bennison, Blomqvist (on for Blackstenius 117’), Enblom, Holmberg (for Lundvist 61’), Holmgren, Hurtig (for Asllani 78’), Ilestedt, Jakobsson (for Rytting Kaneryd 105’), Janogy (for Rolfö 78’), Nildén (for Andersson 105’), Sembrant, Wangerheim.
ENGLAND (4-3-3): Hampton, Greenwood, Carter, Williamson (c), Bronze, Stanway, Walsh, Toone, Hemp, Russo, James. Substitutes: Agyemang (for Stanway 70’), Beever-Jones, Charles (on for Williamson 105’), Clinton (for Walsh 104’), Keating, Kelly (for Hemp 78’), Le Tissier, Mead (for Toone 70’), Moorhouse, Morgan (for Carter 70’), Park, Wubben-Moy.
Scorers: Asllani (2’), Blackstenius (24’), Bronze (79’), Agyemang (81’)
Penalty scorers: Russo, Zigiotti Olme, Bjӧrn, Kelly, Bronze (2-3)
Referee: Marta Huerta De Aza
Attendance: 22,397
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