England’s European champions came from behind to defeat Sweden 4-3 in a penalty shootout after the match ended 2-2 in extra time. The Lionesses were lucky to be leading at half-time, but they made three substitutions that changed the game.
Chloe Kelly’s arrival on the field sparked a turnaround for England, and her team scored twice, leveling the score before going through in the shootout. Kelly’s teammates credit their captain, Ellen White was not mentioned but Lucy Bronze who scored a crucial goal in the final minutes of extra time to seal their victory for them.
England coach Sarina Wiegman made three key changes that paid off, replacing Jess Carter, Ella Toone and Georgia Stanway with Esme Morgan, Michelle Agyemang and Beth Mead. Kelly’s pace and delivery caused problems for Sweden’s defense, and she scored the equalizer before Bronze sealed the win.
The match was a tense and dramatic affair, with England needing to dig deep to come from behind. The Lionesses’ resilience and character were on display as they fought back from 2-0 down to take their place in the semi-finals against Italy.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6497370/2025/07/17/england-sweden-dramatic-euros-quarter-final