Hampton the hero as England triumph in crazy shootout

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Hampton the hero as England triumph in crazy shootout

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Sweden

ZURICH - England secured their spot in the Euro 2025 semi-finals on Thursday after a wild penalty shootout that stretched to 14 players, saw more misses than goals and ended when teenager Smilla Holmberg fired Swedens seventh attempt over the bar.

England had come from 2-0 down to force extra time but no further goals led to one of the most extraordinary shootouts ever seen at a major tournament.

It went on for so long that it seems incredible that the final score was only 3-2.

Englands goalkeeper Hannah Hampton turned out to be the unlikely hero having been thrust into the spotlight in her first major tournament after the experienced Mary Earps announced her international retirement just weeks before the tournament.

The 24-year-old Hampton, playing with a bloodied nose stuffed with gauze after taking a hit to the face minutes earlier, made two diving saves in the shootout, but she was also aided by a Sweden team that missed three - two of them sailing miles over the bar.

Alessia Russo and Chloe Kelly, who scored the winning goal in Englands 2022 final victory over Germany, were on target but Sweden keeper Jennifer Falk saved poorly-struck attempts from Lauren James, Beth Mead, Alex Greenwood and Grace Clinton.

With the incredulous crowd wondering if anyone would score, Lucy Bronze limped up to the spot minutes after she had been on her back strapping her own thigh while Englands physios were busy elsewhere.

Having seen a succession of weakly-hit penalties saved, Bronze removed the strapping before stepping up to slam her attempt home with unstoppable power.

I just felt a little bit tight at the end of the game and I thought

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