Have England Got Lucky By Finishing Second?

Fans usually want their squad to do arsenic good arsenic possible, but galore England supporters were hoping results connected Sunday nighttime would forestall them from finishing apical their group.

When nan Netherlands took nan lead conscionable earlier half-time successful their lucifer pinch France to put nan Lionesses apical of Group D, immoderate England fans had an anxious half hr earlier the French overturned nan deficit pinch a storming second-half display.

A 5-2 France triumph saw them decorativeness 3 points clear of England successful nan table, but person nan Lionesses sewage fortunate and ended up pinch nan easier draw?

The Lionesses look Sweden alternatively of aged rivals Germany successful nan quarter-finals connected Thursday (20:00 BST) and will play either Norway aliases Italy successful nan past 4 should they progress.

They are also, possibly crucially, successful nan other broadside of nan tie to 2023 World Cup winners Spain, truthful are incapable to meet nan favourites until nan final.

While Sweden person performed good successful past tournaments finishing successful 3rd astatine nan World Cup successful 2019 and 2023, they person not lifted a awesome trophy since winning nan inaugural 1984 Euros.

They were successful worse shape than eight-time European champions Germany heading into these Euros, having drawn 2 games against Wales successful nan Uefa Nations League. Germany, meantime won their past 5 Nations League games and scored astatine slightest 4 goals successful each match.

Opta's pre-tournament predictions gave Sweden a 6% chance of winning Euro 2025, compared to nan 14% for Germany.

Should England hit nan Swedes connected Thursday, they will past play a broadside classed extracurricular nan apical 10 successful nan world for a spot successful nan final.

Italy are presently classed 13th, while Norway are 16th.

Had nan Netherlands beaten France, past England would person had to play world number 3 broadside Germany successful nan past 8 and Spain, classed second, successful nan semis.

"It is astir decidedly better, nan squad finishing second," erstwhile England guardant Toni Duggan said connected BBC Radio 5 Live.

"Avoiding Spain and Germany, but Sweden besides look strong, truthful it is going to beryllium an absorbing game."

France head Laurent Bonadei agreed, saying they had "absolutely" been handed nan difficult conception of nan draw.

He added: "All of our opponents will want to sound america out, we stay arsenic a challenger pinch overmuch ambition.

"To beryllium favourites you must triumph a trophy. We will play against Germany who won 8 times…. because Germany are favourites."

Spain defeated England successful nan World Cup last successful 2023 and look beardown successful their pursuit of a first Euros title.

The Lionesses hit Germany to triumph nan Euros successful 2022, but they person mislaid nan six different games they person played against Germany astatine nan tournament.

It is successful nan semi-finals wherever England's tie is much favourable arsenic their last-eight force will beryllium difficult.

Sweden thrashed Germany 4-1 in nan group shape and won each 3 games, conceding conscionable once, to apical Group C.

Former England world Fran Kirby told BBC Radio 5 Live: "Sweden person specified an knowledgeable squad now. We played them successful nan semi-final successful Euro 2022 and they are a squad that person started nan tourney very brightly. That will beryllium thing England request to look into.

"When nan groups were drawn, everyone was talking astir Germany but Sweden person conscionable blown it each distant successful nan group stage, truthful I deliberation it's going to beryllium a really absorbing game."

Not only do England person a tricky trial up of them, but finishing arsenic runners-up besides intends they person little clip to recover, playing connected Thursday alternatively of Saturday.

England person faced Sweden 3 times successful nan past 3 years, pinch 1 of those fixtures being incredibly memorable for their fans.

They won 4-0 successful nan semi-finals of Euro 2022, nan nighttime wherever Alessia Russo scored her memorable backheeled effort.

England's grounds goalscorer, Ellen White, played successful that fixture and said she is "a spot terrified" astir nan Lionesses having to look Sweden successful nan quarter-finals.

"Whoever we were going to look was going to beryllium a reliable opposition," she told BBC Radio 5 Live. "We've faced Sweden a number of times, everyone will retrieve that semi-final from 2022 wherever we hit them 4-0 and we've drawn pinch them precocious arsenic well.

"Sweden look very good, they hit Germany convincingly successful their past game. I'm a spot terrified, I consciousness for illustration there's going to beryllium a batch of goals, hopefully for England."

The 2 teams are besides nan only European nations to scope nan semi-final shape successful each of nan past 3 awesome tournaments.

The Scandinavian broadside person only twice, successful 2009 and 2017, grounded to make it to nan past 4 successful their erstwhile 11 Euros.

Since their gathering astatine nan past Euros, nan sides person played retired 1-1 and 0-0 draws successful nan Nations League.

Before that, England mislaid 2-1 to Sweden successful nan bronze badge lucifer astatine nan 2019 World Cup.

Sarina Wiegman's broadside person won two, drawn 2 and mislaid 5 of nan games they person played against Sweden successful awesome competitions. Against Germany, they person won two, drawn 1 and mislaid five.