Sweden meets England in the semifinals of the European Football Championship. The big favorite was put to a hard test of patience by outsiders Belgium. The redeeming goal to make it 1-0 came in injury time.
In the quarter-finals in the Leigh Sports Village Stadium on Friday evening (07/22/2022), a standard was needed before the Olympic and world number two had brought the Belgian soccer players to their knees in their first knockout game at a major tournament. Central defender Linda Sembrant from Juventus Turin poked the ball over the line after a corner kick from Kosovare Asllani in her 130th international match. The “Red Flames” were heartbroken. Reaching extra time would have been a sensation for coach Ives Serneels’ team.
Sweden will now meet the hosts in the semi-finals in Sheffield on Tuesday (26.07.2022 / 9 p.m. / live on Erste and on sportschau.de) – the biggest conceivable obstacle on the way to a possible European Championship final at Wembley Stadium. Sweden is in a semi-final at a European Championship for the ninth time, but for the first time since their home tournament in 2013. Nine years ago they lost 1-0 to eventual European champions Germany in Gothenburg.
Eriksson: Got it all against England
“It’s going to be an extremely difficult game,” said Magdalena Eriksson, the Swedish defender at Chelsea, referring to the BBC’s semi-finals. “England have done extremely well in the tournament so far. I know all the players – extremely talented players. We have to give it our all.” Eriksson didn’t want to see the fact that Sweden have two days less time than England until the semi-finals as a disadvantage: “We’re in flux. I’m sure we’ll be 100 percent fresh on Tuesday,” she said.
Bouncy castle landlady Evrard keeps the zero for a long time
In the pouring rain, the Belgian footballers successfully resisted the overwhelming physical and footballing superiority of the Swedes for a long time. They didn’t hide, but whenever they had possession, they tried to stall the flow of the game and slow the tempo.
And then they had Nicky Evrard. The goalkeeper from KAA Gent, who rents out bouncy castles as a part-time job, was on the ball with a long-range shot by Filippa Angeldal (6′) as well as with a header from Amanda Ilestedt (14′) and in the turmoil after a corner (34′).
Blackstenius’ goal disallowed for offside
However, she was powerless when Stina Blackstenius ran towards her alone after a fine pass from Asllani (25′). But the Arsenal striker’s goal was disallowed by the Ukrainian referee Kateryna Monzul after the intervention of the video assistant (25′). A controversial decision.
Justine Vanhaevermaet had a chance to put the underdog ahead shortly after, but the Reading FC midfielder’s deflected touch-down shot wide of the left post. Despite a 15:1 shot on goal for Sweden, it remained 0:0 after the first half.
Glas and Andersson are missing after corona infection
Sweden’s defence, which had to be switched to the flanks due to corona infections in Hanna Glas and Jonna Andersson, didn’t get particularly busy after the break. But when after an hour still no goal had been scored for the vastly superior Scandinavians, what Belgium had been hoping for from the start happened: nervousness spread among the blue and yellow.
Although the Belgians, who were defending in a concentrated and united manner, were now hardly able to launch any relief attacks, Sweden did not find any playful solutions to break up the defensive network. And if a ball did land on goal, Evrard was there – just like in her brilliant save against Blackstenius, who headed in from four meters (73′).
Sembrant redeems Sweden
While Sweden’s battered record national player Caroline Seger was furious on the bench, coach Peter Gerhardsson saw no reason to make a change until the 84th minute. He then brought in Hanna Bennison for Angeldal, Sweden’s top scorer at this tournament with two goals.
Salvation finally came in stoppage time when Sembrant maneuvered a corner from Asllani over the line (90+2). It was the sixth goal from a standard situation for Sweden at this European Championship. The brave keeper Evrard, who only had to let the Swedes’ 33rd attempt pass, was honored as “Player of the Match”.
Sweden 1-0 Belgium (0-0)
Goal: 1: 0 Sembrant (90th + 2)
Viewers: 7,517
referee: Kateryna Monzul (Ukraine)
Sweden: Lindahl – Ilestedt, Sembrant, Eriksson, Nilden – Angeldal (Bennison 84), Björn, Rytting Kaneryd – Asllani, Rolfö – Blackstenius
Belgium: Evrard – Deloose (67th Dhont), Kees, De Neve, Philtjens – Biesmans (88th Missipo), Vanhaevermaet, Minnaert – Cayman, De Caigny, Wullaert