Match ends, Sweden 1, Belgium Women 0.
Sweden will need an "extremely good plan" when they face hosts England in the Euro 2022 semi-finals, says manager Peter Gerhardsson.
Linda Sembrant scored a dramatic 92nd-minute winner to break Belgium's hearts and book a semi-final date with the Lionesses at a sold-out Bramall Lane in Sheffield next Tuesday.
"It will be an interesting game. I think we are very difficult to beat," added Gerhardsson after his side's narrow win over the Red Flames at Leigh Sports Village.
"We need to ask ourselves 'what can we do to stop them [England] from playing well and what are our opportunities to beat them?'
"We are going to discuss it and look more at their games. They have a good experience. We are going to have a plan. I can assure you we are going to have a plan, and we need an extremely good plan."
Sweden, the top-ranked side at Euro 2022, had 33 attempts against Belgium but struggled to convert their chances into goals until Sembrant struck from close range in the dying moments.
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Stina Blackstenius had a goal ruled out for offside before being denied by a fine Nicky Evrard save, and it looked as though the quarter-final was heading for extra time when Sembrant struck from inside the six-yard box.
While Belgium's players looked shattered at the final whistle, Sweden celebrated wildly in front of their jubilant fans in the 7,517 crowd.
On this evidence, however, Sarina Wiegman's Lionesses will not be too concerned about what awaits them next week. While Sweden scored five in their previous game against Portugal, they spurned chance after chance before eventually edging through.
The expectation before kick-off was that the Swedes would join Wiegman's side in Sheffield, but they made hard work of seeing off a Belgium side appearing in the quarter-finals for the first time.
Sweden started on the front foot against a team 17 places below them in the world rankings.
Manchester City's Filippa Angeldahl twice went close in the early stages before Blackstenius produced a composed finish after being sent clean through.
Her celebrations, however, were cut short after a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) check ruled she had strayed narrowly offside.
It was not all one-way traffic. Justine Vanhaevermaet, scorer of Belgium's first goal at Euro 2022, went close with a fierce attempt before Sweden eventually got the job done.
'It is hard for us'
This was hard to take for Belgium, who were watched by Belgium men's boss Roberto Martinez.
But the team ranked 19th in the world will take satisfaction from making Sweden work so hard for their victory.
Their players looked close to tears at the end but there are positives for the future.
"At this moment it is hard for us," said Belgium boss Ives Serneels. "We must be proud that we were here to play this wonderful game against Sweden.
"It must give us a lot of experience for the future. Now the players know what can happen when you work hard for something."
Player of the match
MissipoKassandra Missipo
Sweden
Avg
- Squad number20Player nameBennisonAverage rating
6.11
- Squad number9Player nameAsllaniAverage rating
5.96
- Squad number3Player nameSembrantAverage rating
5.91
- Squad number6Player nameErikssonAverage rating
5.84
- Squad number1Player nameLindahlAverage rating
5.81
- Squad number19Player nameRytting KanerydAverage rating
5.79
- Squad number16Player nameAngeldahlAverage rating
5.79
- Squad number5Player nameNildénAverage rating
5.72
- Squad number13Player nameIlestedtAverage rating
5.69
- Squad number14Player nameBjörnAverage rating
5.67
- Squad number11Player nameBlacksteniusAverage rating
5.58
- Squad number18Player nameRolföAverage rating
5.36
Belgium
Avg
- Squad number23Player nameMissipoAverage rating
6.62
- Squad number1Player nameEvrardAverage rating
5.97
- Squad number13Player nameDhontAverage rating
5.85
- Squad number10Player nameVanhaevermaetAverage rating
5.76
- Squad number2Player namePhiltjensAverage rating
5.74
- Squad number9Player nameWullaertAverage rating
5.71
- Squad number6Player nameDe CaignyAverage rating
5.66
- Squad number16Player nameMinnaertAverage rating
5.60
- Squad number20Player nameBiesmansAverage rating
5.59
- Squad number11Player nameCaymanAverage rating
5.59
- Squad number18Player nameDe NeveAverage rating
5.56
- Squad number19Player nameKeesAverage rating
5.50
- Squad number22Player nameDelooseAverage rating
5.38
Line-ups
Sweden
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Lindahl
- 13Ilestedt
- 3Sembrant
- 6Eriksson
- 5Nildén
- 16AngeldahlSubstituted forBennisonat 84'minutes
- 14Björn
- 19Rytting Kaneryd
- 9Asllani
- 18Rolfö
- 11Blackstenius
Substitutes
- 8Hurtig
- 10Jakobsson
- 12Falk
- 15Blomqvist
- 17Seger
- 20Bennison
- 21Musovic
- 22Schough
- 23Rubensson
Belgium
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Evrard
- 22DelooseSubstituted forDhontat 67'minutes
- 19Kees
- 18De Neve
- 2PhiltjensBooked at 36mins
- 10Vanhaevermaet
- 20BiesmansBooked at 16minsSubstituted forMissipoat 88'minutes
- 16Minnaert
- 11Cayman
- 6De Caigny
- 9Wullaert
Substitutes
- 3Van Kerkhoven
- 4Tysiak
- 5Wijnants
- 7Eurlings
- 8Delacauw
- 12Lemey
- 13Dhont
- 14Vanmechelen
- 15Vangheluwe
- 17Tison
- 21Lichtfus
- 23Missipo
- Referee:
- Kateryna Monzul
- Attendance:
- 7,517
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home52%
- Away48%
- Shots
- Home33
- Away3
- Shots on Target
- Home10
- Away0
- Corners
- Home13
- Away2
- Fouls
- Home3
- Away6
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Sweden 1, Belgium Women 0.
Goal!
Goal! Sweden 1, Belgium Women 0. Linda Sembrant (Sweden) right footed shot from very close range to the high centre of the goal following a corner.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Nathalie Björn (Sweden) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Post update
Corner, Sweden. Conceded by Justine Vanhaevermaet.
Post update
Attempt missed. Kosovare Asllani (Sweden) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Nathalie Björn.
Substitution
Substitution, Belgium Women. Kassandra Missipo replaces Julie Biesmans.
Post update
Attempt missed. Magdalena Eriksson (Sweden) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Kosovare Asllani with a cross following a corner.
Post update
Corner, Sweden. Conceded by Julie Biesmans.
Post update
Attempt missed. Fridolina Rolfö (Sweden) left footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the left.
Substitution
Substitution, Sweden. Hanna Bennison replaces Filippa Angeldahl.
Post update
Attempt missed. Elena Dhont (Belgium Women) right footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Justine Vanhaevermaet.
Post update
Attempt missed. Linda Sembrant (Sweden) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Nathalie Björn with a cross.
Post update
Corner, Sweden. Conceded by Janice Cayman.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Kosovare Asllani (Sweden) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Fridolina Rolfö.
Post update
Attempt missed. Nathalie Björn (Sweden) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left following a corner.
Post update
Corner, Sweden. Conceded by Laura De Neve.
Post update
Attempt missed. Linda Sembrant (Sweden) left footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is too high following a set piece situation.
Post update
Attempt saved. Stina Blackstenius (Sweden) header from very close range is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Linda Sembrant.
Post update
Linda Sembrant (Sweden) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Comments
Join the conversation
....And those in the studio must have been watching a completely different game.
"A magnificent match between two pedigree sides" was one of the first comments after the match.....!
A very poor match given we are now supposed to be at the sharp end of an international tournament.
Read this comment quickly before it gets removed.
Reminds me of listening to the Darryl Eastlake commentary on the 12th Man cd- The Final Dig.
Can’t head the ball
Can’t control the ball
Give ball easily away then your opponents easily give back to you the ball and vice vasa . . .
Often bumps into each other aimlessly
Otherwise an enjoyable game.
⚽️⚽️⚽️🤣🤣🤣
All the praise they extolled was for very menial feats.
I enjoy watching womens football and mens, but tonight’s game lacked any quality at all.
Does that make them sexist/misogynistic ?
Come on England!