England's Euros title defence alive and well as Lionesses rise above chaos to produce historic win over Sweden | OneFootball

Sarina Wiegman makes yet more history as another European title beckons

Sloppy defending, lacklustre attacking, and some poor penalties, yet still the Lionesses found a way past Sweden.

Leah Williamson, her ankle wrapped in ice, hobbled over to try and join the celebrations, with England now set to face Italy in the semi-finals.

For so much of this quarter-final, England were second best and off the pace. Inside 25 minutes they were 2-0 down, with their Achilles heel of the left side of their defence exposed again.

France showed it was a weakness in England’s opening game and Sweden did the same. Wiegman changed things midway through this game, moving Jess Carter to right centre-back and Williamson left - but the damage was done by then.

In attack, England were toothless. They had one shot on target in the first half despite having nearly 60 per cent possession.

The second half followed the pattern of the opening 45 minutes and, not for the first time during her England career, Wiegman turned to her bench for answers.

It proved the difference, with "the finishers" hauling England out of a hole that seemed impossible to get out of.

The substitutes were at the heart of the Lionesses’ two goals. Chloe Kelly’s brilliant cross allowed Lucy Bronze to head home in the 79th minute.

Moments later, Beth Mead and Michelle Agyemang combined to make it 2-2. From nowhere, England were level when they had no right to be.

Aygemang was at the heart of the comeback, the teenager causing chaos with her movement and power.

Her run down the right almost gave England a winner right at the death, but Alessia Russo’s shot was saved.

The game lulled in extra time, both sides running on empty, but it burst into life for a shootout that summed up the dramatic nature of this match.

Just five of the 14 penalties taken by the two sides were scored, thanks to a mixture of good goalkeeping and poor finishing.

Nothing summed up the madness more than Sweden goalkeeper Jennifer Falk. She saved three penalties in a row, before smashing the ball over the bar when she had the chance to win it herself.

Even after that, England looked like they would not capitalise as Grace Clinton became the fourth player in a row to have her penalty saved.

By that point, you were almost begging for someone to put their foot through it - and Bronze obliged, rifling the ball into the roof of the net.

Sofia Jakobsson then followed Falk’s lead by firing high and wide to send England through in the most unlikely of circumstances.

No team had ever come back from two goals down in the knockout stages of the Women’s Euros - until England.

The Lionesses have made history again and in a manner no one could have foreseen.