The Lionesses take on serial-finalists Sweden in the Women’s Euros on Tuesday in the hope of making the last two.
England’s women have made it to the semi-final stage for the fourth major tournament in a row. At Bramall Lane stadium in Sheffield, they will be taking on Europe’s highest-ranked side in the first semi final of the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022. It will be a repeat of the competition’s 1984 final which was decided on penalties.
Up against stern opposition, Sarina Wiegman’s side will be hoping to put the pain of that defeat 38 years ago behind them with a win in south Yorkshire.
Have England ever won the Women’s Euros?
England’s women have been to the Euros eight times and have reached the final twice, but are yet to win the competition.
The Lionesses have come within moments of lifting the coveted winner’s trophy, including in its very first year when they came second to Sweden following a shootout in front of only 2,500 fans.
They would wait another 11 years for their next Euros semi-finals in 1995, losing to Germany.
The team came second in 2009, enduring a well-known English heartbreak at the hands of the Germans once again. The previous tournament in 2017 also saw them make the last four but were put out by eventual winners the Netherlands.
Captain Leah Williamson and her teammates will be hoping to avenge the final of 1984 and go further than any England side before them - men’s or women’s - by securing a Wembley victory in the final.
England v Sweden’s head-to-head record
The bad news for anxious England fans is that Sweden have won three of the last four Women's Euro meetings between the two sides. England have managed only one win in their six Euro fixtures against Sweden.
But even that proved in vain, snatching a 1-0 second-leg victory in Luton in the second leg of the inaugural final in 1984 but going on to lose 4-3 on penalties.
The last knock-out contest in the competition came four years later when Sweden beat England 3-2 after extra-time in the semi-final in Norway.
Tuesday is the first Women's Euro fixture between the pair since a 1-1 group stage draw in Finland in 2009. Outside of the tournament, Sweden also has consistently got the better of the team in white.
The Blågult have won the last two matches between the sides, recording a 2-0 friendly victory in Rotherham in November 2018. England's only success in their last five games against Sweden is a 4-0 friendly win in Hartlepool in August 2014.
In front of a packed home crowd with a chance to break their major tournament hoodoo, the Lionesses will be hoping that head-to-head form counts for little in this high-stakes encounter.
