England edge Sweden on penalties: Hannah Hampton's heroics, Lucy Bronze’s late show, and Sarina Wiegman’s gamble send Lionesses to Euro 2025 semi-finals

A game that had everything - tension, tactical errors, penalty drama, and just enough individual brilliance to cover over some real cracks - saw England scrape past Sweden to book a place in the 2025 Women’s Euro semi-finals.

A 2-2 draw after extra time was followed by a chaotic 3-2 win on penalties. Sarina Wiegman’s side somehow survived.

Here, Sports News Blitz’s deputy content editor, Nicole Powell, takes us through five major talking points from the Lionesses' dramatic win.

1. Wiegman’s substitution stubbornness nearly proved fatal

This wasn’t the first time Sarina Wiegman waited too long to turn to her bench, but it was certainly the most dangerous.

With Jess Carter targeted repeatedly down the left and England chasing shadows in midfield, Sweden were firmly in control through the first hour.

Wiegman didn’t make a single change until the 70th minute. But when she finally brought on Beth Mead, Michelle Agyemang, Esme Morgan, and eventually Chloe Kelly, the game flipped.

Suddenly, England pressed with purpose, moved the ball quicker, and found space in wide areas. It begs the question - why wait?

The subs worked, but it felt more like rescue than strategy, and Wiegman’s hesitation to rotate could become a bigger problem with tired legs mounting in the final stages of the tournament.

It also felt like a manager still clinging to an old core that’s no longer justifying its automatic starts.

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2. Hannah Hampton owns the gloves now

If there were still whispers about whether Hannah Hampton could fully replace Mary Earps, they were silenced in Zurich.

Hampton made several sharp saves, stayed composed under pressure, and even played through a bloodied nose.

Then, with everything on the line, the Chelsea star stepped up and saved not one but two penalties in the shootout, including a stunning stop to deny Arsenal’s Stina Blackstenius in normal time.

Hampton didn’t just justify Wiegman’s faith - she reinforced the case many of us have been making for a while.

This isn’t a makeshift solution post-Mary Earps. This is a keeper built for the big stage.

Hampton is the No.1, and it’s not even a debate anymore. England might not have made it to the semi-finals without her.

3. Game-changing substitutes gave England the push they lacked

This could almost echo into point 1, but the late introductions weren’t just reactive; they were transformative.

Arsenal’s Chloe Kelly was a true standout. Her power running and assist directly led to both Bronze’s and Agyemang’s goals.

Her club team-mates were impactful too. Agyemang’s energy disrupted the Sweden defence, and Mead injected control from the right wing.

Suddenly, England looked coherent, positive, and purposeful.

It’s proof that this squad has a potent depth, but the coach must remember that true depth is only valuable when deployed early and with intent.

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4. Moments of brilliance can’t keep masking mediocrity

England were second-best for large portions of the game. The midfield was overrun, the full-backs were exposed, and the press didn’t function until the late changes.

But somehow, they survived.

Lucy Bronze, who had been poor for 78 minutes - misplacing passes and caught out defensively more than once - popped up with a header to make it 2-1 and then scored the decisive penalty in sudden death.

It’s a trend she’s carried over from Chelsea: invisible or error-prone in the build-up, but decisive at the death.

It’s a credit to her mentality, but also a damning reflection of how often England rely on individual moments to dig themselves out.

Bronze, like the team, must find consistency. These heroic one-offs won’t be sustainable deeper into the tournament.

5. This level won’t cut it against Spain

England’s reliance on moments of magic got them through against Sweden - Bronze’s late header, Agyemang’s impact, Hampton’s shootout heroics.

But if they reach the final and face Spain, this level of performance simply won’t be enough.

Spain are cohesive, ruthless, and tactically disciplined. They will punish slow starts, expose the midfield gaps, and won’t allow England the same second chances Sweden did.

Wiegman’s side have been riding waves of resilience and individual quality, but they’ve yet to produce a complete 90-minute performance in this tournament. If that doesn’t change quickly, they’ll be passengers in the final, not contenders.

A repeat of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup final must be avoided at all costs.

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