England are proving themselves tournament masters after stunning quarter-final comeback

England are proving themselves tournament masters after stunning quarter-final comeback

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England’s Euro 2025 quarter-final against Sweden went the distance, but sees the Lionesses have continued an exceptional decade-long run at major tournaments.

By Jamie Spencer

If cats have nine lives, the Lionesses burned through several of them to overcome Sweden in Thursday night’s epic quarter-final.

Two hours and 48 minutes after Kosovare Asllani gave Sweden an early lead in Zurich, England emerged victorious on penalties to book a place in next week’s semis.

A run starting in 2015, England have now reached the semi-finals or better at six consecutive World Cups and European Championships. It’s been the final in each of the last two, in 2022 and 2023, and only Italy stand in the way of making that three in a row in 2025.

England have become the archetypal ‘tournament team’.

Shot map and xG data

Between major competitions, results tail off but they seem to find a way when it matters most. As reigning European champions, they won only four of nine games in the eight months leading into the 2023 World Cup and continued to struggle once the tournament got going. The art of winning, sometimes grinding it out, then prevailed to go all the way to the final.

In the two years since, consistent results have again been a challenge. Losing to France to start these Euros marked a third defeat in a run of four competitive fixtures, but Wiegman’s England are proving again that they just know how to navigate the rounds of a tournament.

Against Sweden, arguably the most polished and impressive team to emerge from the group stage, they were up against it more than they ever have been.

Asllani’s opener was added to midway through the first half by Stina Blackstenius. Both goals were the result of slack defending and clinical finishing. When England had thrashed Sweden 4-0 in the semi-finals at Euro 2022, it involved weathering early pressure, before overpowering them as the game wore on. This was different and it could easily have been 4-0 by half-time.

It looked as though Sweden had taken a leaf out of France’s playbook, swarming and suffocating England in possession, and the Lionesses fell into the pressing trap.

Top stats from the 120 minutes

Lauren James was surrounded by at least two yellow shirts every time the ball came her way. The Swedes also recognised the importance of Keira Walsh to any England attempt to control the game and cut off the path into the Chelsea midfielder. The pressure on Jess Carter, seemingly identified as a weak link in defence, proved fruitful for the Swedes. A sloppy pass and a lack of pace led to Sweden’s two goals respectively in that humbling opening 25 minutes.

No team had ever previously come back from two goals down to win a Women’s Euro knockout tie. Scoring at least twice in 45 minutes against a well drilled team that conceded only once across 270 group stage minutes was the tallest of mountains to climb.

“This England team wasn’t ready for this game,” warned Lionesses legend Fara William during BBC One’s half-time analysis. Alongside her, Ellen White praised Sweden for being “football smart” in the way they were playing to specifically target and capitalise on England’s vulnerabilities.

It was easily Wiegman’s most important half-time interval as England boss. She sent the team back out more than a minute prior to Sweden re-emerging and whatever was said seemed to work.

Playing on the front foot and not allowing Sweden the chance to press, England made a significantly better start to the second half and there were chances, notably as Ella Toone strayed offside as she was sent one-on-one with Jennifer Falk. Sweden were still dangerous, as Blackstenius outpaced Carter again to force a save, but the Lionesses were asking more questions. Just over an hour in, Toone mystified fans by attempting a square pass that wasn’t on instead of shooting.

Wiegman resisted making changes until 70 minutes in. But the introductions of Esme Morgan, who completed 92% of her passes through the remainder of the original 90 and extra-time to significantly improve on Carter’s 77%, Chloe Kelly and Michelle Agyemang proved particularly crucial.

Within in a minute of coming on, Kelly sent an in-swinging cross from the left towards the far post that Lucy Bronze headed in to halve Sweden’s lead. Only 103 seconds later, another similar cross wasn’t dealt with and the ball landed at Agyemang’s feet a few yards from goal to equalise. England even nearly won it in 90 minutes when Agyemang’s square ball to Alessia Russo on a late breakaway resulted in the goal-bound shot being heroically blocked by Smilla Holmberg.

Cruelly, it was Holmberg who missed the decisive penalty in the eventual shootout.

If 90 minutes plus extra-time alone was relentless action, with the additional 30 minutes descending into a battle of the physical, penalties was an exhausting marathon all on its own. “I can’t remember anything like this,” Wiegman reflected afterwards on the chaos of the evening as a whole.

A total of 14 spot-kicks were attempted, but only five were converted successfully. Sweden’s Falk remarkably saved four, but when she stepped up with the chance to win it with one of her own, the ball went high over the bar. Magdalena Eriksson and the aforementioned Holmberg were also guilty of missing the target, but Hannah Hampton saved from Sofia Jakobsson when she could have won it.

The England goalkeeper, who made several important saves during the match, suffered a bloody nose right before the shootout. She didn’t need to prove herself at these Euros, installed as No.1 several months before Mary Earps announced her shock international retirement, but kept her composure to ultimately come out as player of the match for a decisive role.

England have been to the brink of elimination and back at this tournament. They won’t fear anyone and that will be dangerous to Italy in the last four and whoever else they may face thereafter.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the 2025 Women’s Euros with FotMob – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings.

And for exclusive coverage from on the ground at the tournament, please sign up for our free newsletter – here.

England are proving themselves tournament masters after stunning quarter-final comeback

England’s Euro 2025 quarter-final against Sweden went the distance, but sees the Lionesses have continued an exceptional decade-long run at major tournaments.

By Jamie Spencer

If cats have nine lives, the Lionesses burned through several of them to overcome Sweden in Thursday night’s epic quarter-final.

Two hours and 48 minutes after Kosovare Asllani gave Sweden an early lead in Zurich, England emerged victorious on penalties to book a place in next week’s semis.

A run starting in 2015, England have now reached the semi-finals or better at six consecutive World Cups and European Championships. It’s been the final in each of the last two, in 2022 and 2023, and only Italy stand in the way of making that three in a row in 2025.

England have become the archetypal ‘tournament team’.

Shot map and xG data

Between major competitions, results tail off but they seem to find a way when it matters most. As reigning European champions, they won only four of nine games in the eight months leading into the 2023 World Cup and continued to struggle once the tournament got going. The art of winning, sometimes grinding it out, then prevailed to go all the way to the final.

In the two years since, consistent results have again been a challenge. Losing to France to start these Euros marked a third defeat in a run of four competitive fixtures, but Wiegman’s England are proving again that they just know how to navigate the rounds of a tournament.

Against Sweden, arguably the most polished and impressive team to emerge from the group stage, they were up against it more than they ever have been.

Asllani’s opener was added to midway through the first half by Stina Blackstenius. Both goals were the result of slack defending and clinical finishing. When England had thrashed Sweden 4-0 in the semi-finals at Euro 2022, it involved weathering early pressure, before overpowering them as the game wore on. This was different and it could easily have been 4-0 by half-time.

It looked as though Sweden had taken a leaf out of France’s playbook, swarming and suffocating England in possession, and the Lionesses fell into the pressing trap.

Top stats from the 120 minutes

Lauren James was surrounded by at least two yellow shirts every time the ball came her way. The Swedes also recognised the importance of Keira Walsh to any England attempt to control the game and cut off the path into the Chelsea midfielder. The pressure on Jess Carter, seemingly identified as a weak link in defence, proved fruitful for the Swedes. A sloppy pass and a lack of pace led to Sweden’s two goals respectively in that humbling opening 25 minutes.

No team had ever previously come back from two goals down to win a Women’s Euro knockout tie. Scoring at least twice in 45 minutes against a well drilled team that conceded only once across 270 group stage minutes was the tallest of mountains to climb.

“This England team wasn’t ready for this game,” warned Lionesses legend Fara William during BBC One’s half-time analysis. Alongside her, Ellen White praised Sweden for being “football smart” in the way they were playing to specifically target and capitalise on England’s vulnerabilities.

It was easily Wiegman’s most important half-time interval as England boss. She sent the team back out more than a minute prior to Sweden re-emerging and whatever was said seemed to work.

Playing on the front foot and not allowing Sweden the chance to press, England made a significantly better start to the second half and there were chances, notably as Ella Toone strayed offside as she was sent one-on-one with Jennifer Falk. Sweden were still dangerous, as Blackstenius outpaced Carter again to force a save, but the Lionesses were asking more questions. Just over an hour in, Toone mystified fans by attempting a square pass that wasn’t on instead of shooting.

Wiegman resisted making changes until 70 minutes in. But the introductions of Esme Morgan, who completed 92% of her passes through the remainder of the original 90 and extra-time to significantly improve on Carter’s 77%, Chloe Kelly and Michelle Agyemang proved particularly crucial.

Within in a minute of coming on, Kelly sent an in-swinging cross from the left towards the far post that Lucy Bronze headed in to halve Sweden’s lead. Only 103 seconds later, another similar cross wasn’t dealt with and the ball landed at Agyemang’s feet a few yards from goal to equalise. England even nearly won it in 90 minutes when Agyemang’s square ball to Alessia Russo on a late breakaway resulted in the goal-bound shot being heroically blocked by Smilla Holmberg.

Cruelly, it was Holmberg who missed the decisive penalty in the eventual shootout.

If 90 minutes plus extra-time alone was relentless action, with the additional 30 minutes descending into a battle of the physical, penalties was an exhausting marathon all on its own. “I can’t remember anything like this,” Wiegman reflected afterwards on the chaos of the evening as a whole.

A total of 14 spot-kicks were attempted, but only five were converted successfully. Sweden’s Falk remarkably saved four, but when she stepped up with the chance to win it with one of her own, the ball went high over the bar. Magdalena Eriksson and the aforementioned Holmberg were also guilty of missing the target, but Hannah Hampton saved from Sofia Jakobsson when she could have won it.

The England goalkeeper, who made several important saves during the match, suffered a bloody nose right before the shootout. She didn’t need to prove herself at these Euros, installed as No.1 several months before Mary Earps announced her shock international retirement, but kept her composure to ultimately come out as player of the match for a decisive role.

England have been to the brink of elimination and back at this tournament. They won’t fear anyone and that will be dangerous to Italy in the last four and whoever else they may face thereafter.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the 2025 Women’s Euros with FotMob – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings.

And for exclusive coverage from on the ground at the tournament, please sign up for our free newsletter – here.