It was an extraordinary night for the city of Sheffield and for the nation last night as the Lionesses destroyed Sweden 4-0, under the lights at Bramall Lane.
The game was played at a frantic pace at the start, which looked to play into the hands of the Swedes, however England weathered the early storm, made their possession count and struck the first blow.
Tournament top scorer Beth Mead got the ball rolling in the 34th minute when she controlled a Lucy Bronze cross, swivelled on it inside the box and volleyed home into the left side of the goal, in front of the Kop end. That goal nudges her goal tally up to 6 for this tournament.
The Lionesses shot out of the gate to start the second half, maintaining pressure on Sweden, and eventually they cracked again in the 48th minute. This time it was from a corner, with Mead returning the favour to Bronze as she powered home a header.
Just 20 minutes later, having only been on the pitch for 10 minutes, Alessia Russo made it 3-0 to England, and she sent them on their way with an extremely audacious finish. Russo followed up her own rebound, and from an acute angle she back-heeled the ball under the defender and through the goalkeepers legs.
In the 76th minute Fran Kirby got a goal in which her performance deserved. Latching onto a pass from Mead, and Kirby attempting to float one over the goalkeeper, the keeper got fingertips on it but the ball bounced over the line at the Bramall Lane end.
It was an outstanding 4-0 victory in the semi-final at Bramall Lane. The England supporters were delirious. Now they just have to wait for the result in tonights game between Germany and France to see their opponents for the final.
Over 28,000 fans were in attendance at Bramall Lane. This made it the biggest attendance in a UEFA womens Euro semi-final match in history.
The oldest professional football stadium in the world, the home of Sheffield United, has now hosted a mens England’s international cricket match, a mens England football international, and now a womens England football international.