SWEDE DREAMS ARE MADE OF THIS!
Brilliant England just 90 minutes away from 2018 World Cup final after Q-final triumph
ENGLAND breezed into the semi-final of the World Cup yesterday for the first time in 28 years with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Sweden.
Leicester City’s Harry Maguire opened the scoring with a bullet header in the first half before Dele Alli’s second half goal put the Three Lions on easy street.
Jordan Pickford was in sublime form as Gareth Southgate’s men secured a last four tie with Croatia who won a dramatic penalty shoot-out to KO hosts Russia last night.
ENGLAND have already done the nation proud – and now they have the chance to grasp immortality.
Gareth Southgate’s World Cup odyssey continues thanks to goals from Harry Maguire and Dele Alli.
And the Three Lions will now roar into Moscow on Wednesday night for a semi-final date with Croatia.
It has taken Southgate just 23 games as England boss to walk in the footsteps of two managers who were knighted for their services to the game.
He has already matched England’s best tournament performance on foreign soil by reaching the last four, just like Sir Bobby Robson’s side at Italia 90.
His squad will now go home with a medal. But can it be gold? Can they follow in the footsteps of Sir Alf Ramsey and his legends of 1966?
Southgate said: “It is an incredible privilege to be England manager and to take the team this far.
“Knowing the people who have done it in the past, I feel so proud to be in this position.
“I spoke to the players yesterday and said we need to be here for another week – and now it’s up to us what games we play in.
“We’re in a World Cup semi-final. Whether we are in the top four in the world is something we still have to prove, I think.
“We’re not the finished article. We don’t have renowned, world-class players – yet.
“But we have young players who are brave and who have shown mental resilience.
“It is fairly easily my best day in coaching! But it isn’t about me. It’s about the whole group – and to be part of that group is very special.”
England will have to perform better than this to progress further.
Sweden are a game but limited side, yet they still forced Jordan Pickford to make three outstanding second-half saves.
After a pedestrian start, England took control and should have been home and hosed by half-time.
The breakthrough came on the half hour when Ashley Young illustrated why he is in the team at the age of 32 with a deliciously driven corner from the left. When Maguire’s running leap took him high above Emil Forsberg, the defender nicknamed ‘Slabhead’ by Jamie Vardy used his nut to beat Robin Olsen with a violent finish. Raheem Sterling was a livewire once again – but boy does he desperately need a goal. His first sniff of a chance came when Kieran Trippier’s raking long ball dropped invitingly into his path only for Victor Lindelof to rescue his team with a vital challenge. Then, after a late offside flag had saved him the embarrassment of a dreadful miss, he was through on goal again.
This time Jordan Henderson was the provider with a cute first-time pass and though Sterling’s first touch was perfect, he hesitated fatally and the diving Olsen was able to nick the ball off his toes before Andreas Granqvist blocked his shot.
England were almost made to pay two minutes after the restart.
Marcus Berg climbed above Young to connect with a powerful downward header that was brilliantly beaten out by a diving Pickford.
The second goal came in the 59th minute when Jesse Lingard clipped a glorious first-time cross from the right to the far post and Dele steamed in to bury his header from close range.
It took another sensational save from Pickford to keep out Viktor Claesson’s strike from 10 yards, Henderson throwing himself at the midfielder’s follow-up effort to keep the Swedes at bay with a brave block with his legs. And the England keeper excelled once again when Berg managed to find space and time to lash in a shot on the turn and only Pickford’s fingertips prevented the ball from finding the back of the net. Sweden boss Janne Andersson (left) said: “We had three very good chances – and we needed to take them. But England were just better than we were. I have the greatest respect for them. “Congratulations to England. I believe they can win it.”