Women's Euros PIX: Two-down England rally; oust Sweden in tie-breaker

Reigning champions fight back from brink of elimination to force the game to extra-time and emerge triumphant.

England's players celebrate with goalkeeper Hannah Hampton after winning the penalty shoot-out in the women's Euro 2025 quarter-final against Sweden v England - Stadion Letzigrund, Zurich, Switzerland, on Thursday.

IMAGE: England's players celebrate with goalkeeper Hannah Hampton after winning the penalty shoot-out in the women's Euro 2025 quarter-final against Sweden at Stadion Letzigrund, Zurich, Switzerland, on Thursday. Photograph: Denis Balibouse/Reuters

England came back from two goals down to draw 2-2 before beating Sweden 3-2 in a nail-biting penalty shoot-out to reach the semi-finals of the Women's Euros, as Sweden's Smilla Holmberg fired over to end the contest.

In all, Sweden keeper Jennifer Falk saved four penalties, but she skied the potentially winning spot-kick over the bar, throwing a lifeline to the reigning European champions that they gleefully grabbed, Lucy Bronze firing them into the lead before Holmberg's sorry miss.

Kosovare Asllani scores Sweden's first goal.

IMAGE: Kosovare Asllani puts Sweden ahead in the match. Photograph: Piroschka Van De Wouw/Reuters

England's goalkeeper Hannah Hampton turned out to be the unlikely hero having been thrust into the spotlight in her first major tournament after the experienced Mary Earps announced her international retirement just weeks before the tournament.

The 24-year-old Hampton, playing with a bloodied nose stuffed with gauze after taking a hit to the face minutes earlier, made two diving saves in the shootout, but she was also aided by a Sweden team that missed three - two of them sailing miles over the bar.

England will meet Italy in Geneva on Tuesday for a place in the final.

Stina Blackstenius scores Sweden's second goal past England goalkeeper Hannah Hampton.

IMAGE: Stina Blackstenius scores Sweden's second goal past England goalkeeper Hannah Hampton. Photograph: Piroschka Van De Wouw/Reuters

Stina Blackstenius teed up Sweden captain Kosovare Asllani to score in the second minute after England gave the ball away cheaply, and Blackstenius then out-ran Jess Carter to score with a confident finish herself in the 25th minute.

Bronze pulled a goal back for England in the 79th minute, meeting Chloe Kelly's cross and heading home from a tight angle to re-ignite the white-clad fans in the crowd and substitute Michelle Agyemang levelled two minutes later with a superb poacher's finish to send the game to extra-time.

Lucy Bronze pulls a goal back for England in the 79th minute.

IMAGE: Lucy Bronze pulls a goal back for England in the 79th minute. Photograph: Matthew Childs/Reuters

Both sides had their fair share of chances in extra-time but the game went to penalties, and though the Swedes missed their first spot kick, Falk's superb saves soon put them in the driving seat.

She had the chance to win it but she sent her kick high over the bar, and though she saved from Grace Clinton, Bronze beat her from the spot.

Michelle Agyemang sends the ball past Sweden goalkeeper Jennifer Falk to draw England level in the 81st minute.

IMAGE: Michelle Agyemang sends the ball past Sweden goalkeeper Jennifer Falk to draw England level in the 81st minute. Photograph: Matthew Childs/Reuters

After Sofia Jakobsson's miss, the pressure proved too much for the 18-year-old Holmberg, who fired over.

"Right now, I don't know, I don't know," England keeper Hampton said when asked how she felt after the dramatic victory.

"It's just all gone so quick, like that last little bit in the penalty shootout, but... we're very happy, obviously, you can see all the celebrations going around."