England W vs Sweden W prediction: EUROPE: Euro Women – Play Offs betting tips on match 2022-07-25 19:00.
After scoring a tournament record 14 unanswered goals during the group stage (W3), England came through their sternest test of Euro 2022 against Spain, but needed extra-time to wrap up a 2-1 quarter-final victory. Despite trailing until the 84th minute, such is the belief in the camp that captain Leah Williamson said that at no point did she consider themselves en route to defeat.
That sort of positive attitude may be required again as the Lionesses prepare for another step up in quality for the semi-final against FIFA’s #2 ranked Sweden. Putting their 18-game unbeaten run on the line (W16, D2), England are also looking to go one better than their Euro 2017 effort when they were well beaten by the Netherlands at this stage, though they will hope a raucous home crowd can roar them to victory this time around.
Although Sweden needed an injury-time strike to beat Belgium 1-0 in their quarter-final, they are no stranger reaching the last four, as they prepare for their ninth semi-final in 11 European Championship appearances. Given Sweden have scored an average of 1.14 goals per game after the 75th minute across their last seven fixtures, England ought to be wary of another potentially tie-changing late surge.
Sweden’s positive H2H record (W8, D4, L3) should enhance belief of a first Euro final appearance since 2001, but that doesn’t mean they’ll be taking anything for granted with coach Peter Gerhardsson admitting they’ll need an “extremely good plan” to prevail. Scoring exactly twice before the 35th minute worked the last two times these two met (W2) so a frantic start could be at the forefront of Gerhardsson’s plan.
Players to watch: Alessia Russo has four goal contributions (G3, A1) across England’s last three games, with all three goals arriving after the 40th minute. Meanwhile, Sweden’s Fridolina Rolfö broke the deadlock in seven of her last eight goalscoring internationals.
Hot stat: The last four goals Sweden conceded came between the 40th and 55th minute.