Euro 2025 reaction: England beat Sweden in remarkable penalty shoot-out after a late comeback in normal time
England won 3-2 on penalties, with both sides missing nine between them
Earlier, England had pulled back to end the game at 2-2 in normal time after Lucy Bronze and Michelle Agyemang scored in the space of two minutes
Sweden had led for 77 minutes before England's first goal
Defending champions England will now face Italy next Tuesday for a place in the Euro 2025 final
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Great tenacity and determination from England to get the two late goals, and if that wasn't dramatic enough, we had the penalties. I don't think I've ever seen so many telegraphed penalties from a single team in a single shootout - lucky, lucky England. But also - love it!
Warren Sassoon
FT: Sweden 2-2 England (aet, England win 3-2 on pens)
England
Image source, Getty ImagesChloe Kelly reflected on the challenging first half and lessons learned:
"I think everyone was a little frustrated [with the first half performance], we weren't at our best and the standards we have set. But I think Sweden are a great side, we have to give them respect and compliment them. They were at their best tonight, and we had to match that.
"I think we came unstuck a little bit, but we worked it out in the end and I think that's what a great side does. We showed as a team how resilient we are, and we never had that experience before. Now we've got it in our back pocket going forward as well, so it's really important that we use that."
FT: Sweden 2-2 England (aet, England win 3-2 on pens)
Siobhan Chamberlain
Former England goalkeeper on BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast
Image source, Getty ImagesNo matter how bad England were in that first half, you always know England have got goal scorers in that side and you know if they get their moment, England can get back into the game.
The pressure Chloe Kelly was under to step up and take that penalty the way she did and to finish it. She came on and made such an immediate impact.
Holly Bacon
BBC Sport
I love that Luke. I bet the nerves were seriously jangling.
Steph Houghton reckons England will get to the final, let’s hope she’s right.
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Having managed to secure tickets for the final, we've been waiting all tournament to pick the best time to surprise our daughters with the news. We chose just after Agyemang's equaliser last night - SO glad the penalties didn't ruin it for us. We were all exhausted afterwards!
Luke, Leeds
FT: Sweden 2-2 England (aet, England win 3-2 on pens)
Steph Houghton
Former England captain on BBC One
Wow that was game full of so many emotions. I was sweating during those penalties, I don't know about you.
Ultimately, a massive, massive win for England to come back and take it to penalties. Hannah Hampton had a great game.
The girls will go to the final I've said this before.
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Sore throat and bleary eyes this morning but SO worth it. Chloe Kelly - game changer and a huge night for Hannah Hampton. So proud of the guts and resilience we showed - bring on Italy.
Helen
FT: Sweden 2-2 England (aet, England win 3-2 on pens)
Image source, Getty ImagesLast night we asked you to rate the players and Chloe Kelly came out top of the rankings with 8.48 out of ten.
Michelle Agyemang was ranked second with 7.84.
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Lost a 5-a-side tournament to pens an hour before the game, so that means the Lionesses were always going to win. Double penalty heartbreak isn't allowed.
Charles HC, Bromley
FT: Sweden 2-2 England (aet, England win 3-2 on pens)
England
Image source, Getty ImagesMore from Michelle Agyemang on the team's resilience and her impact off the bench:
"It's a great experience, and the girls brought it home at the end and are just happy to go through to the next round.
"I think being 2-0 down, we needed to go and chase a goal and you can't change the game without getting a goal, so that was the most important message before I went on - to go and change the game, to put them on the back foot, and I think that's what we did."
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I spent the whole game thinking 'it's still possible...' and was in awe when the Lionesses pushed it through. I probably need to apologise to the neighbours this morning for all the noise after those two goals and Bronze's penalty.
Charlie, Warwickshire
There's a lot of character, resilience and belief in this England team. It would have been easy for them (and others) to write themselves off after 2-0. Some fantastic saves from Hampton, near misses, a couple of cracking crosses from Kelly. And what a strange shootout! Semi-finals here we come.
Dal
FT: Sweden 2-2 England (aet, England win 3-2 on pens)
Steph Houghton
Former England captain on BBC One
A special shout-out to Michelle Agyemang. I thought she was brilliant and brought a different dimension to us. The Sweden centre-halves had a quite comfy game with just marking Alessia Russo but she came on and made a difference.
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Image source, Getty ImagesOne of the surprises of the tournament so far (though there have been many! No more penalty shootouts please ladies!) is Michelle Agyemang. Wow. Strength. Physicality in the box. Goals. And speaks like a wise, level-headed senior player though she is just 19. The future is bright England!
Kathleen, Edinburgh
Big shout-out to Agyemang too, she put so much effort in and really helped in changing the game and being a menace up front.
Dave P, Cornwall
FT: Sweden 2-2 England (aet, England win 3-2 on pens)
England
Image source, Getty ImagesEngland forward Michelle Agyemang recalls her decisive goal and the intensity of the moment:
"Not much, when I got in front of the keeper, I thought I was close that I was going to miss. Thank god it went through her legs and went in.
"It was a crucial moment as they were under so much pressure, sometimes it's hard to convert those into goals, but we did what we did and we are here now today, so we can't be happier.
"These games build your character as a player, it is great to be a part of and I am grateful to have been on the pitch and shared that moment with the rest of my teammates, and, you know, our fight, resilience and character was shown today."
Holly Bacon
BBC Sport
Nice one, Joe.
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Watched at home with my Swedish wife and our daughter who had the England flag painted on one cheek and the Swedish on the other, did lose interest before kick off and went off to her room to read, but getting her face painted was exciting enough for her.
Steve Collyer, Woking
Joe Rindl
BBC Sport
I'm sorry - "needed to eat some cheese to calm down"? I've not heard that one while I've been on a live text before.
But you do you, Kerry.
Folks, it's been a great morning, thanks for keeping me entertained. I'm going to get a well-earned coffee while Holly Bacon takes over.
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I needed mature cheddar to calm down after that match. Full credit to the team for never giving up. Surely the poor performers need to warm the bench next game?
Kerry Bartie, Dunblane
FT: Sweden 2-2 England (aet, England win 3-2 on pens)
Rachel Brown-Finnis
Former England goalkeeper on BBC One
These girls just keep making history. To comeback from 2-0 down in the knockout stages, to comeback and show the resilience and determination, the never say die attitude.
What a magnificent finish, a dramatic finish worthy of any final.
The decisive missed penalty, heartbreak for Sweden.
Wonderful, memorable, emphatic, triumphant Sarina Wiegman.
FT: Sweden 2-2 England (aet, England win 3-2 on pens)
Fran Kirby
England forward on BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast
Image source, Getty ImagesThey have to learn off things that happened in the Sweden game, Italy played very similar in their direct style, but I don’t think they’re as strong as Sweden but it also depends on the availability of the England players