Women's Euro 2019: 14 penalties and only 5 goals: England eliminates Sweden after 9 errors.

Fourteen penalties. And only five goals. The match that decided the quarterfinal of the Women's European Championship between England and Sweden seemed like a losing battle: nine missed penalties, including saves and errors. The English team won, and will now face coach Soncin 's Italy in the semifinals .

Fourteen penalties, five goals and nine errors

Sweden squandered two match points, two shots over the crossbar, and a post. But also six saves from both goalkeepers. Those who too often discuss the level of top players in women's football should revisit the performances of Sweden's Jennifer Falk and England's Hannah Hampton , the latter awarded Player of the Match by UEFA for her saves: her decisive save on Sofia Jakobsson could have given Sweden a spot in the semifinals. The quarterfinals ended 2-2 at the end of regulation time: Sweden led by two goals early on, but England equalized in the space of two minutes, thanks to Bronze's 79th-minute goal and Agyemang's 82nd-minute equalizer. Then came the show in the reverse of the penalty shootout.

Two match points for Sweden

England took an early lead in the series with Russo converting his shot. Angeldahl, however, made a mistake, but Hampton saved. The first of a series of errors: England's James saved a penalty, Sweden's Zigiotti Olme scored, and further errors came from Mead (saved), Eriksson (hit the post), and Greenwood (saved). After goals from Bjorn and Kelly, Sweden had a match point: but goalkeeper Falk sent the penalty over. And so it went to the end.

Hampton's save, Holmberg's mistake

It began as the regulation series had ended, with a mistake: Falk redeemed himself by saving Clinton's shot and giving Jakobsson another match point. But no way: Hampton saved his penalty, and so they were still ahead. This paved the way for England's victory, decided by Bronze's goal (a powerful, central shot) and Holmberg's blunder, which sent Sweden's dreams over the crossbar, securing England's semifinal berth with their ninth missed penalty in this error-fest.