England's Lionesses Triumph Over Sweden in Penalty Shootout, Advance to Euros Semifinals

England, the defending champions, secured a place in the Women’s European Championship semifinals on Thursday after a dramatic penalty shootout victory against Sweden. The match concluded with a 3-2 score in the shootout, following a remarkable comeback from a two-goal deficit during regular time.

The shootout was marked by several missed penalties before England emerged victorious. Lucy Bronze's successful penalty set the stage for the final shot, which was missed by 18-year-old Smilla Holmberg. England had been trailing for most of the match, facing a 2-0 deficit with only twelve minutes remaining. Goals from Bronze and teenage substitute Michelle Agyemang brought the game to extra time.

This comeback marked a historic moment, as it was the first time in the Women’s Euros that a team had recovered from a two-goal deficit in a knockout match. England is now set to face Italy in the semifinal in Geneva on Tuesday.

Sweden, having topped its group with three wins, including a notable victory over Germany, started the match strongly. England struggled early on, and a misplaced pass led to Sweden taking the lead. Kosovare Asllani scored the opening goal just under two minutes into the game.

Sweden continued to exploit space on the right flank, extending its lead with a goal from Stina Blackstenius. England's goalkeeper, Hannah Hampton, made crucial saves to keep her team in the game. England's comeback began with Chloe Kelly's introduction in the 78th minute, as her cross was headed in by Bronze. Agyemang then scored the equalizer shortly after.

Extra time failed to produce any further goals, leading to the penalty shootout. Both England and Sweden had previously won penalty shootouts in the 2023 World Cup. The shootout saw multiple misses before Bronze's successful penalty and Holmberg's miss sealed England's victory.