England lived up to the title of the favorites to lift the Women’s Euros flashing their credentials once again in the 4-0 rout of Sweden in the first semi-final at Bramall Lane.
Battle-hardened England faced a Sweden side that never quite hit their stride despite being ranked second in the world rankings and the gulf between the two showed albiet after a nervy start by the hosts.
Beth Mead and Lucy Bronze each had an assist and a goal with Alessia Russo and Fran Kirby scoring once to complete the scoreline.
Swedes stuck to their tested strategy of trying to hit on the counter-attack and looked dangerous for a while before Beth Mead opened the scoring after volleying a Lucy Brzone cross past Hedvig Lindahl in the 34th minute.
England showed out in the second half with Bronze heading home Mead’s corner to double the lead in the 48th minute before substitute Alessia Russo’s back-heel in the 68th minute effectively sealed the victory. There was still time to have more fun for England with Fran Kirby chipping the keeper to make it 4-0 before full-time to the delight of the sold-out crowd of 28,624.
Their emphatic win over Sweden takes England to the Euros final for the third time where they will take on either eight-time champions Germany or France.
