The English, unsubstructive against Sweden, spin in the semi-finals

At the end of an exceptional match, Thursday, July 17, and a penalty shootout, the English, reigning European champions, carried by the entrance to the young Chloe Kelly, managed to overthrow their match in two minutes, when they were dominated by Sweden in all sectors of play.

The “lionnesses”, which were physically affected like Lauren James (Coquard), Hannah Hampton (blood nose), Leah Williamson (ankle), will now face the Italians in the semi-finals, next Tuesday, in Geneva.

They can thank their goalkeeper, Hannah Hampton, who released three shots with the Swedish goal after an endless session, marked by errors on both sides. Only the English women Lucy Bronze, Chloe Kelly and Alessia Russo have transformed their shot. In all, nine out -of -goal shots were missed. “It was stressful to watch and stressful to play!” I told myself every time I saved one, please, put it so that we have a little margin ”reacted the guardian on the BBC.

“I need to decompress I think”also launched the English coach Sarina Wiegman at the BBC and Leah Williamson said he was “Really very proud. I like the fact that we never give up ”.

“We had the team to win this tournament. I feel empty, I can’t digest what just happened ”regretted the Swedish captain, Kosovare Asllani.

Invincible “lionesses”

The players of Sarina Wiegman – who can live a third consecutive Euro final as a selector – therefore remain invincible even if this quarter -final seemed to be a successful success of the Swedes. From the start of the match, the yellow and blue, driven by the “soft hooligans” who came in number with songs, drums and inclusion, had outclassed the teammates of Leah Williamson, unrecognizable and fragile.

By collecting two goals, from the 2^e minute pair la Milieu de 35 ans Kosovare Asllani, Puis Par Stina Blackstenius (25^e), the “lionesses” sank defensively in the image of Jess Carter, at fault on the two goals. The Swedes then unfolded before being less incisive in the second half.

After having lost (1-2) against France when they entered their entry before waking up against the Netherlands (4-0) and then facing Wales (6-1), the English seemed physically broken down, absent in duels, facing Swedes who impressed as since the start of this euro.

Décisive Chloe Kelly

But the entry of Chloe Kelly, a rocker already in the victorious final in 2022, changed everything. In two minutes, she overturned the situation, awakening the English supporters of the Zurich stadium. The replacement did better in two minutes than the attackers stars Alessia Russo or Lauren James on the entire match.

On his first ball, the wing – back to the 78^e Minute-served Lucy bronze at the second post, left strangely alone by the Swedish defense (2-1, 79^e), and which has planted a raging head. In the process, on her second ball, Chloe Kelly centered again from the left, this time for the young Michelle Agyemang (2-2, 81^e). Back to school ten minutes before and having only played five minutes against France, the 19 -year -old Arsenal attacker who has little known team A, changed the fate of reigning European champions, who can also thank their goalkeeper for saving them twice.

At the end of the match, Hannah Hampton, who finished extensions with her nose in blood, released two decisive stops (88^e) with the fists on a Swedish strike and just before half-time (45^e + 1) to avoid the worst.

In continuation of a first major title since their victory during the first female euro in 1984, the Swedes were brutally arrested in their race, while they were among the favorites.