Lucy Bronze fired home the winning penalty to book comeback queens England a place in the Euro 2025 semi-finals with a dramatic shootout victory over Sweden.
Bronze’s successful kick, coupled with Smilla Holmberg’s miss, earned the Lionesses a 3-2 win on penalties after they had staged a stirring late fightback to snatch a 2-2 draw in 90 minutes.
An early mistake allowed Kosovare Asllani to fire Sweden into a second-minute lead, assisted by Arsenal striker Stina Blackstenius, who doubled the advantage in the 25th minute.
“Beautiful chaos!”
— Lionesses (@Lionesses) July 17, 2025
Those SCENES! pic.twitter.com/k4uBfrwboT
Bronze, at 33 the oldest player in Sarina Wiegman’s squad, gave England a fighting chance when she nodded home in the 79th minute before 19-year-old substitute Michelle Agyemang, the youngest of the group winning just her third cap, scored to force extra-time.
Bronze finally decided the contest with England’s seventh spot-kick of an error-strewn shootout, her emphatic effort proving decisive as Holmberg fired over for Sweden.
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