England vs Sweden penalties live: Lionesses count injuries after surviving drama to progress at Euro 2025

England have successfully reached the semi-finals of Euro 2025 after surviving a penalty shoot-out against Sweden and coming from two goals down to continue their title defence.

The holders looked to be heading home but two goals in three minutes sparked a chaotic comeback before Hannah Hampton and Lucy Bronze were the heroes in the shoot-out.

After going through on penalties, England will play Italy in the semi-finals.

Italy were runners-up in Group B after beating Belgium, drawing with Portugal and losing to Spain, and stunned Norway in their quarter-final. Cristiana Girelli scored twice to send Italy through to their first semi-final in 28 years.

Their semi-final will be played on Tuesday 22 July with kick-off at 8pm BST (UK time). England will travel to Geneva for the first time, which is where Italy beat Norway on Wednesday night.

“She rolled her ankle. She’ll be assessed tomorrow,” Wiegman said in her press conference. “I don’t know what it is right now. She couldn’t stay on the pitch so we had to take her off.”

Lauren James and Lucy Bronze also appeared to be limping, after staying on for extra time but Wiegman alleviated any further concerns by suggesting it was just fatigue.

Bronze, though, had strapping around her left leg during the game and walked through the mixed zone area in Zurich with ice on her right thigh after playing through pain to score the decisive penalty in the shoot-out.

England lived to fight another day at Euro 2025 after surviving a chaotic penalty shoot-out to beat Sweden and reach the semi-finals.

After England came from behind to claim a 2-2 draw following extra time, nine of the 14 penalties were missed in an extraordinary decider.

The Lionesses were a penalty away from going home on two occasions but Hannah Hampton and Lucy Bronze were the heroes as they progressed.

“I think we’re all frustrated in the sense that we had our system, we’ve practised them every day, we’ve got our routines, and sometimes it doesn’t go to plan,” Beth Mead said.

But after emerging through one of the worst penalty shoot-outs in major tournament history, England could still celebrate as they set up a semi-final with Italy.

Here’s how it all unfolded

“One of a kind,” Sarina Wiegman said of Lucy Bronze. Her “fighter” of a full-back certainly offered an image that will go down in England folklore, albeit after a team performance that won’t quite be mentioned as prominently.

Only the spirit, appropriately, will prevail. After a series of absurd misses, in what might well have been one of the worst penalty shoot-outs in football history, a hobbling Bronze ripped off the strapping on her left leg, and strode forward. An astonishing eight of the 12 previous penalties had been squandered. Some had been missed in scarcely believable fashion, the emotional momentum of the shoot-out veering as wildly as some of the shots. So, Bronze just smashed it straight into the roof of the net.

Bronze was the personification of England perseverance, which is one quality you can certainly bank on – even in a performance like this.

England are through to the semi-finals of Euro 2025 after surviving a thriller against Sweden, with Lucy Bronze and Hannah Hampton the heroes in the penalty shoot-out.

But a dramatic, gruelling win could have come at a cost ahead of Tuesday’s semi-final against Italy after captain Leah Williamson was forced off with an ankle injury and Bronze and Lauren James were seen limping at the end of full-time.

The Lionesses began the match in the worst possible way and Sarina Wiegman’s side were punished for their defensive sloppiness as Kosovare Asllani sent Sweden ahead inside the opening two minutes before Stina Blackstenius doubled their lead.

Changes were made by the coach and the introduction of Chloe Kelly was the turning point with the Arsenal forward providing two assists as Bronze and Michelle Agyemang, another substitute, scored late in the game to force extra-time and penalties.

The shoot-out was low on quality, with nine misses in total and both goalkeepers on top form. Bronze rattled one down the middle to put England ahead at 3-2 and Hampton’s heroics ensured England’s title defence goes on.