Nine bad shots at penalty drama
EM title defender England throws out DFB fright
Updated on July 18, 2025 – 00:05 a.m.Reading time: 2 min.
Sweden looked like the safe winner for a long time. But then England struck back with a double strike shortly before the end. The penalty shootout became a dramatic nerve game.
England’s footballers have kept their dream of successful title defense at the European Championship in Switzerland in a dramatic penalty thriller. The long disappointing team of national coach Sarina Wiegman saved themselves against Sweden in the quarter-finals of Zurich after 0-2 deficit and won 3-2 there. After 120 minutes it had been 2: 2 (2: 2, 2: 0).
In the duel from the point, goalkeeper Jennifer Falk became a tragic heroine of Sweden when she held four penalty boards, but gave the decision herself. Lucy Bronze ultimately shot England into the preliminary round, while Smilla Holmberg was the last shooter to fail the nerve. A total of nine shooters awarded the point.
In the semifinals, the Lionesses fight for the final ticket on Tuesday (9:00 p.m.) in Geneva against Italy.
In the regular season, bronze (79th) and substitute Michelle Agyemang (81st) brought the long weak English women late. The Swedes, who had handled the DFB team 4: 1 in the group phase, took the lead by captain Kosovare Asllani (2nd) and Stina Blackstenius (25th). The Britishes have the second title in a row in a row three years after the triumph in their home country, Sweden has continued to wait for the first European Championship cup since 1984.
In front of 22,397 spectators in the Zurich Letzigrund, the English women began nervous and gave Sweden the lead. Jess Carter and Keira Walsh covered the ball on his own penalty area before Blackstenius found the ASLSLANI that started, who executed ice cold. Just three minutes later, the Swedes almost increased when England’s goalkeeper Hannah Hampton lost the ball to Blackstenius – captain Leah Williamson saved the striker in great need.
As a result, with progressing play, it initially looked as if the British had calmed down their game, with a crossbar from Lauren Hemp (6th) they even had a first chance of scoring. Nevertheless, they were defensively anything but saddle festival, Sweden looked more imperative. After Steilpass, Blackstenius ran away from the overwhelmed Carter and completed from an acute angle. Shortly before the break, Hampton protected England from Fridolina Rolfö (45.+1) from an even higher deficit.
After half -time, the English women came out of the cabin with more momentum, Hemp (51st) narrowly missed the connecting goal with a head. But again and again Wiegman’s team brought himself into trouble, again after a counterattack against Blackstenius (55th), Hampton had to prevent a goal with a strong parade.
England grew stronger in the final phase, the double stroke of bronze and Agyemang lifted them into the extension, where the teams fought a tough exchange of blows. It took the decision from the point.