England vs Sweden summary: Russo back-heel, score, goals, highlights, Euro 2022
England 4-0 Sweden: Euro 2022 semi-final as it happened
England vs Sweden: headlines
- England thump Sweden to reach Sunday's Euros final
- Mead gave hosts lead just after the half-hour mark
- Bronze doubled their advantage early in second half
- Russo's backheel made it three for England
- Kirby added fourth with chip
- Lionesses to face Germany or France at Wembley
Peeep peeep peeeep! England have swept the Swedes aside and are into Sunday's final at Wembley, where they'll have the chance to win their first ever major title.
Sweden looked the more dangerous side for the first half hour or so, but after Beth Mead fired England into the lead, the hosts were totally dominant. After three straight semi-final defeats, the Lionesses are back into a trophy decider for the first time since 2009.
It'll be one of Germany and France for England in the final. Those two sides face off in the second semi-final tomorrow, at Stadium MK in Milton Keynes.
Thanks for reading!
So close to a fifth! Toole charges forward before slipping it wide to Hemp on the right. She cuts back onto her left, then curls a cross over to the far post, where Russo is first to the ball. She can't quite turn it into the corner, though, and the ball drifts just wide.
Three minutes of time added on.
A triple change for England. Mead comes off to a standing ovation, with Chloe Kelly on in her stead. Jill Scott replaces Stanway, and Daly is off for Alex Greenwood.
Stanway is booked for a late challenge. It's over the top, studs up and totally needless. She's lucky VAR didn't deem it to be worthy of a red, to be honest.
Björn is lucky not to put through her own net for an England fifth, there. She takes a bit of a wild swipe at Stanway's ball into the middle, and is relieved to see it loop just over the bar.
Chants of "it's coming home" in the Bramall Lane stands. Tonight's attendance is just under 29,000, by the way.
Fresh from adding England's fourth, Kirby is withdrawn to rapturous applause. She's replaced by Ella Toone.
Sweden made a double change a couple of minutes ago. Hanna Bennison and Lina Hurtig were brought on for Sembrant and Blackstenius.
Kirby makes it four for England! The ball is fed to the midfielder in acres of space to scuttle forward towards the Sweden box. With Lindahl off her line, she dinks the ball over the goalkeepe, who gets a hand to it but can't stop it from dropping into the net!
Mead follows in Grings' footsteps
Mead's first-half opener means she now has six goals at Euro 2022 - the most at this summer's tournament, and more than any other player at a Euros finals except for Germany's Inka Grings.
Björn is booked for bundling Stanway over. That's the first yellow card of the night, I make it.
Russo backheels England's third goal past Lindahl.
(Photo: Naomi Baker/Getty Images)
Russo makes it 3-0 with an impudent backheel! It's part-golazo-part-goalkeeping-rick.
Kirby is released into the box, and squares it to the penalty spot to Russo, who should score. Lindahl produces a fine stop to deny the England substitute, but when Russo collects the loose ball, she conjures up a backheel that squirms between the keeper's legs and in!
England are pretty much home and dry.
That's magnificent player by Hemp, who runs Glas ragged before driving into the box and fizzing a ball across the face of goal. No-one in a white shirt can connect, though.
Sweden win a corner on the right, which this time Andersson takes. It's initially cleared from underneath the England posts, but the Swedes recycle on the left and get the ball back into the middle. Blackstenius connects with a volley that looks for a moment like it's going to loop over Earps, but the keeper gets a glove to it to turn it behind. As close as Sweden have come in the second half.
Sweden win a corner on the right, but Asllani shanks it into the side-netting.
A moment later, Rytting Kaneryd carries the ball to the top of the England box and pulls the trigger, but doesn't hit it quite truly. It's easily blocked, and England clear.
Right away, Russo almost creates a third for England! She puts her head down on the right wing and drives towards the byline, before curling a low cross over to the far post. Hemp is arriving and has the goal at her mercy, but sidefoots her strike against the bar! So very nearly goodnight Vienna for the Swedes.
England make their first change, replacing White with Alessia Russo.
We're seeing better from Sweden now. Rolfö collects the ball and bursts through towards the left-hand byline, before delivering into the danger area. Blackstenius gets her head to it, but her glancing effort flies just past Earp's far post.
That's Ilestedt's last involvement. She's replaced by Jonna Andersson.
There's a chance for Ilestedt! Rolfö advances down the left and crosses towards the back post, where Ilestedt is arriving in space. She can't direct the ball towards goal, though.
Sweden boss Peter Gerhardsson wastes no more time in seeking to change things. Caroline Seger and Johanna Ritting Kaneryd are on for Angeldahl and Jakobsson.
And from the corner, England double their lead! Having had the ball nicked off her toes a moment earlier, Mead delivers high to the back post, where Bronze sends a firm header back across goal and into Lindahl's far post!
England in total control.
Right away, England are back on the front foot. Kirby threads a fine through ball for Hemp to chase on the left, and the winger collects on the run before knocking it into the middle. Mead is arriving at pace to connect first time, but is just beaten to the ball. Sweden get it behind.
Peeeep! Back underway in Sheffield.
No half-time changes for either side.
Mead (right) celebrates her goal with Georgia Stanway (centre) and Katy Walsh.
(Photo by Nick Potts/PA Images via Getty Images)
Beth Mead (right) puts England ahead at Bramall Lane.
(Photo by Nick Potts/PA Images via Getty Images)
Peeep peeep peeep! No time is added on at the end of the first half. England go into the break 1-0 ahead and in the ascendancy. Sweden had carried almost all of the attacking threat for the first half an hour or so, but once Mead put the hosts ahead, Sarina Wiegman's team took complete control.
Asllani spins on the right wing and tries to deliver a low ball into the England box, but Daly is there to cut it out. The Swedes really haven't created much at all since going behind.
At the other end, Kirby bustles forward towards the top of the Sweden box, before letting fly. Her shot flashes high over the bar, however.
England look full of confidence. They don't want half time to come now. Kirby drives forward, before playing the ball right to Mead on the corner of the Sweden box. She in turn slips it into White's run into the box - and White has Kirby all alone in the middle if she can find her. She can't, much to Kirby's frustration. Eriksson blocks.
Sweden had created most of the danger until that England goal, but now the Lionesses are all over the Scandinavians. Stanway gobbles up a clearance 30 yards out from goal, and has acres of space to chest it down and shoot. She can't find the target, though; the ball flies well over.
England have their tails up now. Sweden lose it just outside their area, allowing Kirby to feed Stanway's run towards the right-hand byline. Her low ball into the middle looks to give White a tap-in, but it's cut out. Again Stanway has the chance to cross, but Lindahl collects.
Goal! England lead! Mead with a fine strike!
The hosts have been second-best so far, but they have the advantage. When Hemp's left-wing cross is too long for White, Bronze collects the loose ball and delivers it back into the danger area. Her cross is right to Mead, who controls, turns and fires the bouncing ball past Lindahl and into the far corner!
Jackobsson drives into the box and squares from the right, but it's well cut out.
White is then penalised for a foul on Angeldahl, giving Sweden an opportunity to deliver a set piece into the box from the right. The England striker very clearly not in agreement with the decision, but when the ball comes into the box, the hosts clear.
Mead sends a left-wing corner into the Sweden box, but Bronze's back-post header is always dropping wide of Lindahl's right-hand post.
Sweden put an end to that lull by getting Björn on the ball and running into the box from the left. Stanway is across to block her path towards goal, and falls under her challenge. A free-kick is given and England can get it away, but it didn't look like a foul by Björn. Stanway simply lost her footing.
After a pretty frantic first half of the first half, we've had a slight lull for a couple of minutes.
That's a crucial challenge by Kirby. Blackstenius gets to the byline and cuts it back towards the penalty spot, where Angeldahl is arriving like an express train. Just as she prepares to strike, though, Kirby is there to sweep the ball away.
Oh, that's a shame. If Stanway's first touch had been a bit better, she'd have had a good chance to shoot from 20 yards. Again Hemp brings it forward and feeds Stanway at the top of the box, but her control takes her back into the crowd of players, and she can only scuff a weak shot straight at Lindahl.
There's a first shot for England, but it's never going to trouble Lindahl. Stanway carries the ball towards the box, before slipping it wide to Hemp on the left. She knocks in a low ball towards the penalty spot, but White can't get a good connection to her shot on the half-turn.
Asllani swings in a corner that Eriksson knocks down into the six-yard area, where Daly hacks it away before anyone in a yellow shirt can gobble up the chance. Mead is then fouled on the edge of the box, and England can get it clear.
Mead curls a right-wing cross into the box, and Eriksson has to turn it behind. The corner is whipped in towards the near post, where White gets her head to it, but is crowded out and can only nod the ball well off target.
Fifteen minutes in, and Sweden have been the better side thus far.
England are pretty lucky not to be behind, to be honest. Rolfö shows Bronze a clean pair of heels on the left, advances into the box and shoots towards goal - but slices her strike into the side-netting. Bronze got a sly shove in on Rolfö before she pulled the trigger; that might just have made the difference.
And from the corner, Sweden hit the bar! Earps doesn't look all that sure of herself when she comes out to punch, and with Blackstenius right underneath her, the ball rebounds off one of the two - Blackstenius, it seems - before bouncing back off the woodwork. Sweden look very, very dangerous every time they come forward.
Again Earps has to save! Sweden launch a quick break led by Asllani. She threads an inch-perfect through ball into the run of Blackstenius, who carries it forward to the edge of the box before shooting. Her effort is slightly scuffed, but Earps nonetheless has to look alive to turn it behind.
Back come England, Hemp scampering forward down the left wing before feeding it back to Daly in crossing space. She arrows a ball into the box towards White, but Lindahl is quickly off her line to come and claim.
At the other end, Sweden win a free-kick just inside the England half, but Asllani thumps her delivery right into Earp's hands.
First moment of real danger from England. Kirby receives in the left-hand channel and immediately pings a high ball over to Mead, who has burst forward into space on the right of the Sweden box. Kirby's delivery is just overhit, however, and Mead can't make contact with the ball. She gives her team-mate a thumbs-up.
Right away, Sweden should probably score! The ball is won back in the midfield and fed to Blackstenius, who looks up and slips Jackobsson into space in the penalty box. She has to shoot from an angle, but she's essentially one on one with Earps. The England keeper gets her body in the way, though, and the Lionesses survive!
Peeeeep! Referee Esther Staubli gets us underway!
Teams out!
Out come England and Sweden at Bramall Lane. First up, it's anthem time.
Lionesses on 10-game winning run
England's competitive record against Sweden might be more than a little patchy, but the Lionesses do go into today's clash on a rather splendid run of results. Sarin Wiegman's side have now won 10 games in a row in all competitions.
Sweden's form is pretty good too, though: they're 16 games unbeaten, since their penalty shootout defeat to Canada in the 2020 Olympics gold-medal match last August.
England out to end 38-year wait for competitive win over Sweden
England may be the home team and the favourites, but Sweden are unbeaten in competitive meetings with the Lionesses for nearly 40 years - since a 1-0 defeat at Luton’s Kenilworth Road in the second leg of the 1984 Euros final.
That didn’t stop the Swedes from winning the competition’s inaugural edition, though: having won the opening leg 1-0, the visitors proceeded to triumph in a penalty shootout.
Sweden have been in three Euros finals since then - 1987, 1995 and 2001 - but lost them all.
As for England, they’re aiming to qualify for their third final in the continental tournament. After losing out to Sweden in ’84, they were then thumped 6-2 by Germany in the trophy decider in 2009.
And if you’d like to know more about the Sweden squad, here’s an in-depth profile of Peter Gerhardsson’s players, written by Amanda Zaza from fotbollskanalen.se.
AS was part of The Guardian's Euro 2022 Experts' Network, which pulled together guides on each of the teams at the tournament. Take a look at Louise Taylor's player-by-player profile of England.
Squires on the Euro 2022 quarter-finals
By the way, if you're not familiar with David Squires' regular football cartoon for The Guardian, can I suggest you become familiar with it. It's brilliant. Here is Squires on the Euro 2022 quarter-finals:
England's Chloe Kelly and Lauren Hemp at Bramall Lane as the Lionesses walk the pitch ahead of kickoff.
REUTERS/John Sibley
What the coaches said: Peter Gerhardsson, Sweden
Sweden’s role as semi-final underdogs:
“My favourite question! I don’t think about it at all, because I want to think about possibilities. That’s my view of everything. If you have a possibility, you have a feeling in your body that you can do it. But I think to be favourites, that means what you have done. Have you done good things? Then you get to be the favourite. And then you have to handle it. I think it’s better to be the favourite, but it’s everybody’s opinion […]. I don’t think about that - I think about tactics and things like that.”
Chance to poop England’s party in stadium packed with home fans:
“I think if you had to choose, I’d rather have 20,000 Swedes here. That’s my opinion. It could be something, but if the game goes our way, I don’t think this public… sometimes if the home team doesn't play well, the fans start shouting, everything like that. It’s not going to happen tomorrow. They’re going to support England all the way.”
(Photo: Marcio Machado/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
What the coaches said: Sarina Wiegman, England
Challenge posed by Sweden:
“I think it’s going to be a really tight game. They’ve performed really well in the previous years and have always performed well in the women’s game. They’re number two in the FIFA rankings so it’s going to be a difficult game and totally different to what we faced against Spain, because they have a totally different style of play, but we are prepared.
“They’re very well organised, they’re very experienced, they’re strong, they’re very good at set-plays and they have some players who are really goal-orientated, so we are aware of their strengths.”
Home support inside Bramall Lane:
“I hope the fans are going to bring us lots of energy again. We will do that ourselves but it was really an extra dimension that we got in our last games and that is really exciting. I hope we make them proud again.”
(Quotes via Englandfootball.com; photo: Marcio Machado/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
England fans make their way to Bramall Lane ahead of today's 3pm ET kickoff.
(Photo: Danny Lawson/PA Images via Getty Images)
Johnson wishes England luck
Boris Johnson, a man who knows a thing or two about being smiled upon by Lady Luck, has posted a video wishing England all the best tonight. “I can tell you the whole country is going to be roaring you on,” the outgoing UK prime minister said.
Sweden team news
Sweden's line-up has also been confirmed.
Peter Gerhardsson goes with: Lindhal, Ilestedt, Sembrant, Eriksson, Glas; Angedahl, Björn, Asllani, Rolfö, Blackstenius, Jakobsson.
England team news
England's starting XI is in.
It is: Earps, Bronze, Bright, Williamson, Daly; Stanway, Walsh; Mead, Kirby, Hemp; White.
Fans line the streets for England's arrival at Bramall Lane
Here are a few images of the scenes outside Bramall Lane as the England team bus arrived at the stadium:
If you're wondering how you can watch today's semi-final in Sheffield, we've put together a short guide on your options for tuning in either on TV or online.
Sweden fans outside Bramall Lane ahead of tonight's semi-final.
(Photo: REUTERS/Matthew Childs)
How England and Sweden reached the semi-finals
Both tonight's teams topped their groups, with tournament hosts England doing so in particularly impressive fashion. The Lionesses scored 14 goals without reply to claim a clean sweep of wins that included an 8-0 thumping of two-time Euros winners Norway.
In the quarter-finals, England had to roll up their sleeves to beat an excellent Spain side 2-1, having been second best for much of the night. They needed an 84th-minute equaliser by Ella Toone to force extra time, before Georgia Stanway's 25-yard ping sent them through.
As for Sweden, Peter Gerhardsson's team outplayed Belgium in the last eight, but had to wait until stoppage time to grab the game's only goal, courtesy of Linda Sembrant.
(Photo: Glyn KIRK / AFP)
"The calm before the storm"
Here's the scene at Bramall Lane a short while ago - the forecast is for grey clouds mixed with sunshine and a little bit of rain, and it certainly looks like the Sheffield skies are delivering on that promise.
England vs Sweden: preamble
Hello there. It's time for Euro 2022 semi-final No. 1, as England look to make it fourth time lucky and, after last-four heartbreak in 2015, 2017 and 2019, qualify for Sunday's final against one of Germany and France.
Sarina Wiegman's team face a Sweden side who have also become past masters in the major-tournament near miss of late - most recently at the Tokyo Olympics, where they had to settle for silver for the second straight Games.
Kick-off at Bramall Lane, Sheffield, is at 8pm local time (3pm ET/12 noon PT).