Linda Sembrant’s injury-time rebound strike saw Sweden snatch a 1-0 Quarter-Final victory over Belgium to reach 2022 UEFA Women’s Euro semi-finals.
A scrappy first-half saw Sweden’s Stina Blackstenius score on a 25th minute counter-attack, only for Video Assistant Referee (VAR) to rule it offside.
Sweden however continuously failed to create clinical chances until a late injury-time corner fell to Nathalie Björn, whose shot was spilled for Sembrant to lash in from close-range to snatch a tense victory.
Sweden will now face tournament hosts, England in the opening semi-final at 8pm BST on Tuesday 26 July at Bramall Lane, Sheffield.
Dominant Swedes Frustrated Throughout Match
Pre-match, Sweden only named a 20-player squad after Jonna Andersson, Hanna Glas and Emma Kullberg all tested positive for Coronavirus, which has forced the trio into self-isolation as Linda Sembrant and Amanda Nilden replaced Andersson and Glas in the starting line-up.
Belgium meanwhile made three tactical changes from their Group D victory over Italy, as Laura Deloose, Laura De Neve and Marie Minnaert came in from Ella van Kerkhoven, Elena Dhont and Hannah Eurlings respectively.
Once the match got underway, Sweden failed to look affected by Andersson, Glas and Kullberg’s absences as Filippa Angeldahl’s sixth minute long-range strike was saved by Nicky Evrard.
Angeldahl then wasted further chances as she fired over the bar in the 11th minute before her curled attempt towards the top left corner was bent wide of goal seven minutes later, whilst Amanda Ilestedt and Stina Blackstenius missed chances from a 14th minute cross to Ilestedt.
Belgium though were defensively robust whilst they also posed an attacking threat which saw Janice Cayman whip in a 24th minute cross, only for Sweden to immediately counter-attack as a through ball found Blackstenius to rifle in just inside the 25th minute.
VAR however adjudged Blackstenius just marginally offside and disallowed the goal, which revitalised the Belgians as Justine Vanhaevermaet fired wide of the bottom left corner in the 31st minute.
Sweden two minutes later won a corner but Angeldahl fired wide via deflection on the rebound, whilst their second set piece was blocked by Evrard to Blackstenius who failed to poke in from close range as Evrard recovered to make a crucial save.
Both teams thereafter traded chances at opposite ends throughout the remainder of the first-half with a lack of clear-cut chances, amidst Sweden’s dominance as Belgium kept their semi-final dreams alive at the break.
Sweden came back out after half-time and quickly settled into dominant play as Asllani nodded a 49th minute effort onto the bar, which Belgium’s defence swiftly cleared.
Fridolina Rolfo in particular was a huge threat for the 1984 winners of this competition as she created various opportunities, of which all her attempts came to nothing.
Angeldahl meanwhile produced Sweden’s best chance in the 61st minute as she rifled over the bar from long range, whilst Blackstenius saw a 72nd minute header from a scrappy corner cleared by Evrard.
Belgium finally created a spell of attacking pressure in the 74th minute but Cayman’s cross was cleared by Hedvig Lindahl, with their next attempt coming eight minutes later as substitute – Elena Dhont fired into the right side-netting.
Sweden however continued to maintain their relentless pressure but almost lost the match in the 88th minute as Belgium broke forward, with Tessa Wullaert’s pullback pass fired wide by Dhont before Asllani tried to strike up the other end for the Swedes but she dragged her shot wide.
Vanhaevermaet however conceded an injury-time corner which Linda Sembrant lashed in on rebound from close-range to send Sweden through to the semi-finals, after Evrard had spilled Björn’s shot at the back post.
Sweden are now in their ninth semi-final appearance of UEFA Women’s Euro, where they will face England in the opening semi-final on 26 July at Bramall Lane, Sheffield, for the right to play at Wembley Stadium in the Final on Sunday 31 July.
Teams
Sweden: Hedvig Lindahl, Amanda Ilestedt, Linda Sembrant, Magdalena Eriksson, Amanda Nilden, Filippa Angeldahl (Bennison 84′), Kosovare Asllani, Nathalie Björn, Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, Stina Blackstenius, Fridolina Rolfo
Substitutes: Jennifer Falk, Zecira Musovic, Lina Hurtig, Sofia Jakobsson, Rebecka Blomqvist, Caroline Seger, Hanna Bennison, Olivia Schough, Elin Rubensson
Belgium: Nicky Evrard, Laura Deloose (Dhont 67′), Sari Kees, Laura De Neve, Davina Philtjens, Julie Biesmans (Missipo 88′), Marie Minnaert, Justine Vanhaevermaet, Tessa Wullaert, Tine De Caigny Janice Cayman
Substitutes: Diede Lemey, Lisa Lichtfus, Ella van Kerkhoven, Amber Tysiak, Sarah Wijnants, Hannah Eurlings, Feli Delacauw, Elena Dhont, Davinia Vanmechelen, Jody Vangheluwe, Charlotte Tison, Kassandra Missipo
Referee: Kateryna Monzul (Ukraine)
Attendance: 7,517
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