England Women have secured a dramatic place in the semi-finals of the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 after a stunning 3-2 penalty shootout victory over Sweden, following a thrilling 2-2 draw in regulation and extra time. The Lionesses, who looked down and out at halftime after falling behind by two goals, showed remarkable resilience to fight their way back and keep their European title defence alive. They will now face Italy in Geneva on Tuesday, July 22, for a place in the final.
The match started in the worst possible fashion for England. Within just two minutes, a misplaced pass from Jess Carter put Keira Walsh in trouble. Her attempted clearance was blocked and landed at the feet of Kosovare Asllani, who made no mistake as she curled a precise finish into the far corner from the edge of the box. Sweden continued to exploit England’s vulnerabilities and doubled their lead in the 25th minute. Stina Blackstenius picked up the ball in midfield, sprinted past Carter, and clinically finished low into the bottom corner to put her side 2-0 up. England appeared shell-shocked, and it took a heroic last-ditch tackle from Leah Williamson and a crucial fingertip save from Swedish goalkeeper Jennifer Falk — tipping Lauren Hemp’s shot onto the bar — to prevent an even greater deficit.
England managed to hold on until halftime but were second best throughout the first 45 minutes. After the break, they began to see more of the ball, though they still struggled to create meaningful opportunities. With time running out and their Euros dream slipping away, head coach Sarina Wiegman turned to Chloe Kelly, whose introduction would change the course of the match. Just over a minute after stepping onto the pitch, Kelly delivered a pinpoint cross from the right that Lucy Bronze met with a powerful header at a tight angle to bring England back into the game. Barely a minute later, Kelly sent another teasing delivery into the box which found 19-year-old Michelle Agyemang. The teenage striker reacted quickly to prod the ball into the net, scoring her first goal in a major international tournament and sending the match into extra time.
The additional 30 minutes offered tense moments for both teams. Sweden looked more dangerous during the second period of extra time and pushed hard for a late winner. However, England stood firm, holding their composure to force a penalty shootout in one of the most dramatic matches of the tournament so far. What followed was a nervy, scrappy shootout in which just five of the 14 penalties taken were converted. Alessia Russo and Chloe Kelly scored for England, while Julia Zigiotti Olme and Nathalie Bjorn responded for Sweden. With the score at 2-2 and the shootout heading into sudden death, Lucy Bronze stepped up confidently to slot home England’s seventh penalty. Sweden’s Smilla Holmberg then saw her effort saved by Hannah Hampton, sending the Lionesses through and eliminating Sweden from the competition.
The result means Sweden have now been knocked out of consecutive European Championships by England, having also lost to the Lionesses in the semi-finals of Euro 2022. The match also marked the end of Peter Gerhardsson’s tenure as Sweden manager, his first tournament exit at the quarter-final stage.
Speaking after the match, Sarina Wiegman called it “one of the hardest games I’ve ever watched.” She admitted the team had started poorly but praised their belief and fightback. Wiegman highlighted the impact of Michelle Agyemang and the leadership of Lucy Bronze, saying: “Michelle brings something different. She’s strong, brave, and took her goal well. As for Lucy, her mentality is unmatched. That penalty, that presence — it’s not just skill, it’s her heart.”
Captain Leah Williamson also reflected on the team’s resilience and mental strength. “We’re never done,” she said. “That was awful to watch at times, but we never gave up. The fightback, the quality, the preparation — everything came together. We’ve basically played three finals in a row, and I’m a happy girl today.”
Hannah Hampton, England’s hero between the posts, described the win as evidence that “proper England is back.” She revealed how the team rallied at halftime and refused to accept defeat. Hampton, who has faced challenges in her England career, expressed gratitude for the support she’s received from her teammates, saying, “The girls have seen my struggles, and to be here now, wearing the England shirt again and making a difference — it means everything.”
England named an unchanged starting XI for the match, while Sweden brought in Hanna Lundkvist and Julia Zigiotti Olme. The two teams battled over 120 minutes in one of the tournament’s most dramatic fixtures, but it was England’s grit, character, and composure under pressure that saw them prevail. With Italy next on the horizon, the Lionesses will hope their dream of retaining the European title remains very much alive.
