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, with Sweden's Smilla Holmberg firing over to end the contest.
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.
FT: 🇸🇪 2-2 🏴
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) July 17, 2025
Amazing - England are level through Agyemang. We're going to extra time.#rtesport #WEURO2025
📺 Watch live on @rte2 and @RTEplayer https://t.co/wIU6P3h8bk pic.twitter.com/xyznyMiBcb
Lucy 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.
Both sides had their fair share of chances in extra time but the game went to penalties.
Swedish keeper Jennifer Falk saved four spot kicks and skied the potentially decisive penalty over the bar, but Lucy Bronze fired England into the lead and Holmberg skied her attempt as the champions went through to the last four.
England survive an epic penalty shootout against Sweden to progress to the semi-final of Euro 2025 #rtesport #WEURO2025https://t.co/wIU6P3h8bk pic.twitter.com/AYrLQ3qB0B
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) July 17, 2025
"Stressful. Stressful watching, stressful playing," said goalkeeper Hannah Hampton, who suffered a nose injury during extra time.
"Every time I saved one I was thinking 'please just put it in so we have a bit of a cushion'. Their keeper then just went and saved the next one and I was thinking 'oh goodness, here we go.'
"Me and nosebleeds never go well. Me and the doctor have had some great history in the past with having to go to hospital and stuff so as soon as he came over he was thinking 'not again'. I'm better with one nostril now.
"I think I was better in the game when I had one nostril than when I was completely fine! Just happy and relieved now."
Watch the Euro 2025 quarter-finals with live coverage from Wednesday to Saturday on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player
