England progress to Euro 2020 semi-finals with victory over Sweden

England secured their spot in the semi-finals of Euro 2020 with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Sweden at the Krestovsky Stadium in St. Petersburg.

First Half

In the first half of the match, both teams were evenly matched but it was England who took the lead in the 30th minute through a goal from Raheem Sterling. Sterling received the ball from Harry Kane and slotted it past the Swedish goalkeeper with ease.

Sweden tried to respond quickly and came close to equalizing when Marcus Berg saw his header rattle the crossbar. However, England held on to take a 1-0 lead into halftime.

Second Half

In the second half, Sweden came out with more intent and put England under pressure early on. They were eventually rewarded in the 55th minute when Emil Forsberg scored a stunning goal. Forsberg picked the ball up on the edge of the box and unleashed a powerful shot that went in off the post.

England responded well to the setback and regained the lead just ten minutes later. Harry Maguire rose highest from a corner and powered his header past the Swedish goalkeeper to make it 2-1.

Sweden fought hard to get back into the game but England were able to hold on and secure their place in the semi-finals.

England's path to the semi-finals

England have been in impressive form throughout the tournament and have won all four of their matches so far. They started off with a 1-0 win over Croatia before thrashing Scotland 3-0 in their second match.

They then secured a 1-0 win over the Czech Republic to finish top of their group before easing past Germany in the round of 16 with a 2-0 win.

Their victory over Sweden sets up a semi-final clash against Denmark, who beat the Czech Republic 2-1 in their quarter-final match.

What this means for England

England's progress to the semi-finals is a huge achievement for the team and the country. They have not reached this stage of a major tournament since the 2018 World Cup, where they also made it to the last four.

There is a real sense of belief and optimism around the England camp and fans will be hoping that they can go all the way and win their first major tournament since the 1966 World Cup.

Conclusion

England's victory over Sweden was hard-fought and well-deserved. They showed determination and resilience to come back from Forsberg's goal and secure their place in the semi-finals.

Their next opponents, Denmark, will provide a tough test but if England can maintain their form and belief, they will have a great chance of making it to the final.