Match Summary

Sweden Team

No fuss, no heartache, in fact just what the doctor ordered!  That, in a nutshell, was the story of England’s quarter-final match against the well organised, but ultimately outplayed Swedish side, and now England will play a World Cup semi-final for the first time since 1990 and only the third time in all.  Deserved?  Definitely.  Without worry?  Not quite, but overall it was as comprehensive as any England fan could have hoped for.

The start of the game was understandably nervy from both teams as they tried to feel each other out, looking for cracks, eyeing up the formations, and generally trying to settle into a rhythm.  On six minutes Dele Alli robbed Emil Krafth but his pass that would have put Harry Kane in the clear was just overhit.  There were quite a few passes that went astray, from both sides, in that opening ten minutes.  Kyle Walker's cross was cut out by goalkeeper Robin Olsen, and it was a real cat and mouse battle in these early stages.

On 13 minutes, the first chance for the Swedes as Viktor Claesson was given too much room and was able to fire in a shot.  Thankfully it went wide.  A minute later and a promising England move only ended with a poor cross from Ashley Young and a foul by Harry Maguire.  Sweden were looking to break quickly, which suited their formation, and England did not win the second balls too often for a while.  But on 17 minutes there was a genuine chance for England.  A quick break by Raheem Sterling put the Swedish defenders on red alert, but after a challenge came in the ball squirted free and Kane was just a whisker away with a shot past the post.

Over the next ten minutes England settled into that rhythm they sought and you could sense that the match was edging their way.  A series of good attacks built up the pressure on Sweden and the body language of the Scandinavians showed signs of panic.  On 28 minutes a fine England move ended with another cross from Young, which was hacked away desperately.  A dangerous Kieran Trippier cross was cut out, and England won a corner after another good attack.  England have become something of an expert as these set plays in the last month and when Young's corner came in Maguire rose majestically to power home a superb header!  The goal was no less than England deserved, and the good thing was they then wanted to go for the jugular.

Jordan Henderson, eager to atone for his long-forgotten penalty miss against Colombia, shot over, and the Liverpool man was revelling in the midfield battle, working his socks off for the cause.  So much hard work was being shown by the whole team and the pace of Sterling was causing Sweden many headaches.  Twice he almost scored before the break as long passes found him clear.  The first saw him crowded out but the second, superbly taking the fine pass of Henderson and trying to round the keeper.  Olsen just got a hand to the ball and then Sterling was caught in two minds between a pass and a shot as he regained possession.  His final effort was deflected for a corner.  That would have been a great way to end the half and given the Manchester City star a goal he richly deserved in this game.  But it wasn't to be although Gareth Southgate must have been delighted with how his team had handled the first-half.

England made an uncertain start to the second-half  and two minutes into it Sweden so nearly equalised.  A deep cross from the left was met by Marcus Berg's downward header.  Jordan Pickford dived full length to his left to make a stunning save to clear the ball away.  The timing of that save was crucial and it emphasised how England needed to settle again.  This they did and on 54 minutes Sterling again came close with a good cross which was scrambled away.  You could again sense that something was about to happen for England as first Jesse Lingard's shot was deflected for yet another corner, and then, on 58 minutes England finally scored that crucial second goal.  Sterling laid the ball back to Lingard who hit a first-time centre to the far post.  Alli did brilliantly to steal round the back, arriving late to head home a terrific goal.  Needless to say the England players, management and fans went wild with delight.

England needed to see the game out from here but they needed Pickford to save them again when Claesson fired in a low shot after the ball was laid back.  This time the goalkeeper dived to his right to make another fine save, with Henderson throwing himself at the ball to stop the rebound shot before England cleared the danger.  Once again, not only was it a fine save but again it was at a crucial time.  There were definite signs in the Swedish team that this was not to be their night and a few heads dropped.

A substitution was made by Sweden but it was England who so nearly scored again in the 65th minute.  After another fabulous corner routine had Sweden in all sorts of bother the ball dropped for Maguire, but this time he blazed the ball over the bar.  Alli then saw a good shot blocked before, on 72 minutes, Pickford made the third of his outstanding saves tipping over a close range strike by Berg.  Three times the goalkeeper had been called upon at vital times and three times he responded with magnificent saves.

As the minutes ticked down the England fans were chanting deliriously as even though there were still ten minutes plus stoppage time to go, it was calmness personified, so much were they in control, a rare feeling during an England game.  Lingard, still full of running broke well but just failed with his pass to Sterling, Fabian Delph came on for Alli and Trippier was tripped (been dying to write that!).  Eric Dier came on for the magnificent Henderson, and before the end Marcus Rashford replaced Sterling.  Although Sterling didn't score he posed Sweden all sorts of problems with his pace and hard work.  Hope he is saving his goals for the next two games!

And that was it, as comfortable as it comes in the end, and it has to be said that all the England players contributed, with John Stones superb at the back with Walker and Maguire, Pickford outstanding, and all the players putting in incredible shifts for their teammates, the manager and the fans.  Great night and now we face Croatia, incredibly, for a place in the World Cup Final!!

COME ON ENGLAND!
 

Source Notes

TheFA.com BBC Sport

FIFA.com Mike Payne - football historian and contributor