England reach semi-final
2-0 victory has set up showdown against the Croatians
ENGLAND’S victory over Sweden yesterday put Gareth Southgate’s team only one game away from the World Cup Final.
They are favourites to beat Croatia – who beat Russia on penalties last night – in the semi-final in Moscow on Wednesday and could line up against either France or Belgium in the final next Sunday.
The England result in Russia – the first time the side has reached the last four of football’s greatest tournament for 28 years – sparked wild celebrations south of the Border, where the heatwave saw the mercury rise to 33C (91F).
Along with goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, who made a series of spectacular saves, yesterday’s heroes were goalscorers Harry Maguire and Dele Alli.
Everton goalkeeper Pickford said afterward: ‘I wasn’t born the last time England reached a World Cup semi-final.’
For many England fans, the night belonged to manager Gareth Southgate. He said being in the semi-final was an ‘incredible feeling’.
At the end, ever the gentleman, he thanked the referee, commiserated with Sweden’s players, hugged his own then applauded long and hard the 5,000 England fans who had journeyed to distant Samara, 650 miles south-east of Moscow.
In sweltering Britain, a record 32 million people watched the game on television.
But some supporters went on the rampage, as crowds gathered in Inner London as soon as England secured victory.
In Clapham, South London, thousands brought traffic to a standstill. One fan was seen leaping from the roof of a stationary bus and crashing through a bus shelter.
On London Bridge, the ambulance service reported a rapid response vehicle had been taken out of action after it was badly damaged by a fan jumping on its bonnet.
In Manchester, several fans set off smoke bombs while in Nottingham police tried to contain fans who were climbing buildings and bus stops. Celebrities joined the party last night, taking to social media to celebrate England’s victory.
Comedians Frank Skinner and David, whose 1996 Three Lions anthem was being sung in pubs across England, tweeted a photograph of them sharing a final whistle kiss.
David Beckham was also celebrating after he won a bet with Swedish footballer Zlatan Ibrahimovic over the outcome. As a result, the Swede will have to buy the former England captain dinner at any restaurant of his choosing.
Earlier, supporters had queued for up to five hours outside some pubs in sweltering heat. At Wimbledon, thousands of tennis fans left their seats to catch up on the action from the World Cup from a nearby pub as the All England Club had refused to allow a big TV screening of the match.
While the VIP box was full at 1.30pm, 90 minutes before kick-off in Samara, pictures later showed it was almost empty at 4pm.
Elsewhere, Nadine Hanlon did not let renewing her wedding vows stop her watching England’s World Cup quarter-final victory, saying: ‘I love the man, but football comes first.’
Wearing a full wedding dress, Mrs Hanlon, 43, and husband Lee, 40, were joined by their family and friends for a traditional wedding breakfast in Doncaster, with a big screen showing the match right next to the top table.
Most pundits had suggested Southgate’s young team would do well to progress to the quarterfinal stage but Sweden offered little resistance yesterday.
While England’s fans drowned out their Swedish rivals at the match, at times they had to do vocal battle with the many Russian fans in the stadium. Some were on England’s side, though, including Dmitri Tolmachev, 29,
‘We can dream. Very well done, England’
and Gulina Ivanova, 27, who sported crosses of St George on their cheeks. ‘England were by far the better team,’ said Dmitri. ‘They could win the whole thing.’ Gulina said: ‘I love them. It has been brilliant.’ At the final whistle, the players hugged their wives, girlfriends and families in the stands. Kane kissed his mother, while Maguire sought out girlfriend Fern Hawkins. But in Ireland, inside Molly’s Bar in the Letterfrack, Connemara, birthplace of Harry Kane’s grandfather, the punters went home disappointed. Landlady Sally Lyons has given out free pints every time the England captain has scored a World Cup goal.
She said: ‘I wanted to give away more today. We’ll have to wait until the semi-final now. And then, of course, there’s the final.’
Prince William, president of the Football Association, tweeted: ‘You wanted to make history @England and you are doing just that. This has been an incredible #WorldCup run and we’ve enjoyed every minute. You deserve this moment – Football’s Coming Home! W.’
Last night, Theresa May hinted that the boycott on ministers and royals attending the World Cup could be eased if England make the final. Asked whether the position could change, the Prime Minister – who offered her ‘huge congratulations’ to Gareth Southgate – said: ‘We take this every game at a time.’
But she added: ‘There was a reason why ministers haven’t been going to Russia. It was because of the attack on the streets of a British city, an attack using a chemical weapon, a nerve agent.’
Only a small country in the Balkans now stands between England and its first World Cup final since 1966.
Croatia’s population is half that of London, but its players will be England’s most formidable opponents so far.
Led by former Tottenham star Luka Modric, Croatia have demonstrated scintillating form, dispatching Lionel Messi’s Argentina 3-0 in the group stage and overcoming Russia on penalties.
Last night, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon congratulated the Auld Enemy on the team’s success. Miss Sturgeon did have a cheeky dig by posing with a replica World Cup trophy and tweeting: ‘It’s home already (well, we can dream).’ She added: ‘Very well done, England.’
But many Scots will begin seeking out alternative entertainment, should the Three Lions be in the final next Sunday afternoon.
The Scottish Open takes place at Gullane and the North Atlantic Fiddle Festival is in Aberdeen.
‘We take this every game at a time’