England beat Sweden on pens to reach Euros semi-finals after brilliant comeback

England came out on top after a dramatic penalty shoot-out against Sweden in Zurich to keep their dream of back-to-back Euros titles alive.

Sweden keeper Jennifer Falk saved spot-kicks from Lauren James, Beth Mead, Alex Greenwood and Grace Clinton but missed a chance to score a winner from the spot herself before England sealed the deal in sudden death. And it was Lucy Bronze who blasted home from the spot before Smilla Holmberg fired over the top to give England victory.

Earlier, super-sub Chloe Kelly had made an instant impact from the bench to help England level things up from 2-0 down, setting up Lucy Bronze for the Lionesses’ first goal and then playing her part again as fellow sub Michelle Agyemang stroked home to force extra-time.

Kosovare Asllani gave Sweden a second-minute lead, leaving England playing catch-up early on. The opposition could have had a second long before Stina Blackstenius doubled their lead before the half hour mark, and England were once again staring down the barrel of a two-goal deficit before the break.

But England’s changes turned the game on its head. Lucy Bronze and substitute Michelle Agyemang scored within a minute of one another to draw the holders level 10 minutes from time and force an extra 30 minutes.

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Sweden went into the game unbeaten in a full year, and made two changes while England boss Sarina Wiegman stuck with the players who started the wins over the Netherlands. That meant Jess Carter started in the middle alongside Leah Williamson, and had a moment to forget as Sweden took an early lead.

Carter’s pass was half-blocked and Keira Walsh struck the ball against Filippa Angeldahl. It bounced into the path of Blackstenius, who fed Asllani to fire the ball low beyond Hannah Hampton.

Another Carter pass almost handed the Swedes a second, with Hampton’s loose control almost allowing Blackstenius an easy finish, but Leah Williamson got back brilliantly to deny her Arsenal colleague with a last-ditch block.

England were able to fashion a chance of their own after the let-off, only for Jennifer Falk to get fingertips on Lauren Hemp's’s dipping effort and turn it onto the bar. It was 2-0 to Sweden before the half-time whistle, though, with Carter’s painful first half continuing as she couldn’t get near Blackstenius as the striker collected Julia Zigiotti Olme’s through-ball and gave Hampton no chance.

England came out fighting in the second half, moving Hemp to the right and Lauren James to the left, but their need for a goal left them vulnerable on the break. Wiegman rolled the dice, introducing Michelle Agyemang, Beth Mead and Chloe Kelly to the front line in a desperate attempt to worry the opposition in the closing stages.

But it was one of the back-line who halved the deficit, with Bronze ghosting in at the back post to head home a deep Chloe Kelly cross. And almost as soon as that flew in, England were level. Another Kelly cross was helped on by Mead and there was Agyemang to calmly roll the ball home

With a semi-final against Italy awaiting the winners, both teams battled throughout the extra 30 minutes. In the end, though, penalties were required and England finally got the job done.

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