Euro 2025: Reigning champions England qualify for tournament after securing nervy goalless draw in Sweden
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Published 16/07/2024 at 19:34 GMT
Sarina Wiegman's England knew that a point would be enough to qualify for Euro 2025 and earn them the chance to defend their title. However, the Lionesses had never drawn on Swedish soil and goalkeeper Hannah Hampton was tested to the limit in the closing stages. Wiegman named the same starting XI that beat group winners France 2-1 on July 4, opting to retain Hampton ahead of Mary Earps.
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England held on to qualify for the 2025 Women’s European Championship after a nervy 0-0 draw with Sweden in Gothenburg.
Only a Swedish win would see England drop into the qualifying play-offs and despite a comfortable first half, the Lionesses were put under significant pressure in the closing stages.
Chelsea goalkeeper Hannah Hampton, retaining her place ahead of Mary Earps, survived several near-misses but ultimately kept a crucial clean sheet.
The reigning European champions' first-ever competitive point on Swedish soil confirmed they would finish second, one point behind group winners France.
England started the stronger of the two sides, without directly threatening Zecira Musovic in the Swedish goal.
Alessia Russo almost got on the end of a superb whipped delivery from Georgia Stanway in the Lionesses’ best opportunity of the opening 20 minutes.
The hosts struggled to escape from England’s high press with counter-attacks regularly snuffed out at source, even if Sarina Wiegman’s players could not make their possession and territory count.
Stanway fired in a low strike from close range in the 37th minute – the visitors’ first shot on target in the match.
And Sweden immediately responded with two quick-fire chances of their own. Johanna Rytting Kaneryd escaped the attentions of Jess Carter but failed to make any meaningful connection at the back post.
Hampton’s goal was threatened shortly after the break with the Chelsea goalkeeper needing to dive sharply to her right to keep out the effervescent Filippa Angeldahl.
Two minutes later, Muscovic comfortably gathered Lucy Bronze’s back post header as the match started to open up.
Halfway through the second half, Wiegman held her breath as Leah Williamson went sliding in on Rosa Kafaji in the box, but the substitute opted to stay on her feet.
There were more nervy moments to come for England, as Hampton spilled a deflected cross and scrambled to rescue it.
Angeldahl was the next to test Hampton in the 83rd minute, her dipping long-range effort eventually held by the England keeper.
And after a shaky period of Swedish pressure, England found their feet to see out the match and book their spot at Euro 2025.
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