England are in action again this evening as they face Sweden in the final fixture of qualifying for Euro 2025. Following a 2-1 win over the Republic of Ireland last Friday, the Lionesses know that a draw or better will be enough for them to earn their place at next summer’s tournament in Switzerland.
Sarina Wiegman’s side are the reigning European champions and will want to put in a strong defence of their title. However, they have looked undercooked since losing the final of the 2023 World Cup and have fallen short of the supremely high standards they have set themselves during this qualifying campaign.
An opening 1-1 draw against the Swedes put them on the back foot and a loss to France at St. James’ Park left them with no margin for error. Since then, England defeated the French away from home and secure a win against Ireland to put them in driving seat ahead of this crucial fixture.
Sweden now sit behind them in Group A3 but if they triumph at home tonight they will draw level on points with the Lionesses and consign them to the playoffs due to a better head-to-head record.
Follow all the action as England take on Sweden in Euro 2025 qualifying:
Euro 2025 permutations: What do England need to qualify for the tournament?
England will bid to secure automatic qualification for Euro 2025 as they face Sweden in their final Group A3 game.
The top two sides in the group will progress directly to the tournament, with the third and fourth-placed finishers forced to negotiate play-offs.
Defending champions England have so far won three of their five qualifiers and sit second in the group.
Mike Jones16 July 2024 17:25
Sweden v England
After a 1-1 draw at Wembley in April, England could fail to win both meetings with a team in a single qualifying campaign for a major tournament for the first time since drawing twice with France in qualifying for the 2007 World Cup.
Mike Jones16 July 2024 17:20
Sweden v England
England are unbeaten in their last two meetings with Sweden (W1 D1) and could go three in a row without defeat versus the Swedes for the second time after a run of four draws between 1979 and 1983.
Mike Jones16 July 2024 17:15
Sweden v England
Sweden are unbeaten in four previous home meetings with England (W3 D1) with the most recent of those coming in a July 2013 friendly in Uddevalla, when the Swedes ran out 4-1 winners.
Overall, only Germany (21) have beaten the Lionesses more often than Sweden (15).
Mike Jones16 July 2024 17:10
England team changes
Sarina Wiegman makes three changes to the starting line-up for England’s match against Sweden. Maya Le Tissier and Alex Greenwood drop out of the defence with Millie Bright and Lucy Bronze brought back in.
Further up field Jess Park drops to the bench after impressing against Republic of Ireland with Ella Toone back in as her replacement.
Mike Jones16 July 2024 17:04
Sweden v England line-ups
England XI: Hampton; Bronze, Bright, Williamson, Carter; Walsh, Toone, Stanway; Mead, Russo, Hemp
Sweden XI: Musovic; Lundkvist, Sembrant, Eriksson, Andersson; Angeldal, Asllani, Olme; Rytting Kaneryd, Janogy, Rolfo
Mike Jones16 July 2024 16:59
Williamson feels excited and ‘lucky’ playing for England
Leah Williamson also provided an insight into how it feels to captain her country and play for the Lionesses saying: “I love playing for England, anyone who gets to wear this kit is very lucky.
“It’s been an exciting time, it’s a pressurised situation and it’s competitive football. We’re trying to qualify for a tournament we won last time.
“I’m always chasing a certain level of consistency, which is a challenge in itself.”
Mike Jones16 July 2024 16:52
England can score more goals
Leah Williamson wants the Lionesses to regain their cutting edge in front of goal and start putting away chances when they create them.
Speaking about the 2-1 win over Ireland last Friday the England captain said: “In every game we’ve played we’ve had the opportunity to score a lot more, which would make those moments that we get a bit nervy not so nervy. It’s not a lack of concentration or trying, it’s just the way they’ve gone.
“We could have put them to bed a lot earlier.
“Friday night against Republic of Ireland was another example of that when we could have scored more goals. Obviously winning 2-1 sounds a lot closer than we would have liked considering how we dominated.”
Mike Jones16 July 2024 16:44
Wiegman empathises with Gareth Southgate after Euros defeat
The England women’s team watched the Euro 2024 final together from their hotel in Gothenburg ahead of their qualifier and were saddened when Gareth Southgate’s side lost.
Sarina Wiegman is one of the few who can understand what Southgate went through as she took charge of the Lionesses for the 2023 World Cup final defeat.
“First of all it took me three weeks to get over it,” Wiegman said, “No it’s very hard, when you give everything and then it can go both ways of course, because you have an opponent who really wants to win too and has those qualities too, so when you have given your everything you hope you win and then when you don’t win you’re really disappointed.
“You start thinking ‘did we get everything out of ourselves?’ ‘did we do everything that we could?’ what was in our control, and then you have to accept it.
“It’s easier to accept a win than to accept a loss but for me it took a while.”
Mike Jones16 July 2024 16:37
Williamson on England men losing to Spain at Euro 2024
The Lionesses captain said she was ‘devastated’ for the England men’s team after their 2-1 defeat to Spain in the Euro 2024 final but looked for the silver lining that winning a trophy will feel ‘sweeter’ when they finally get over the line.
“Devastated for them, especially knowing some of them personally as well,” Williamson said, “I think what Gareth and his team have done over the last three or four years, reaching finals and giving us that…bringing that dream closer to reality.
“We are very lucky as fans of England, men’s and women’s, to be in that position that we’re in. We didn’t quite get over the line, to a fantastic Spanish team and I know they’ll be devastated about it.
“It will take them a while I think, to get over it. But us as a country, we’ve been blessed with incredible tournaments and when those wins come, which I do believe they will, then they will be even sweeter.”
Mike Jones16 July 2024 16:30