MY ACCOUNT
Women’s Euro 2022 was already being referred to as Beth Mead’s tournament before tonight — and the red-hot star showed exactly why as England booked their place in the final.
Mead’s 34th-minute strike broke the deadlock against Sweden at a packed Bramall Lane as Sarina Wiegman’s Lionesses began their march to Sunday’s final at Wembley.
The Arsenal attacker’s SIXTH goal of the Euros settled her team-mates after a nervy start had threatened to hand the Swedes the advantage.
And she turned provider just three minutes into the second half as England doubled their advantage, picking out Lucy Bronze with a perfect corner.
Bronze’s header went through a crowd of players on its way into the net but she was left to sweat before a VAR review ruled her effort would stand.
From there on, the raucous home crowd were only going to see one side emerge as winners.
With the hosts in control, supersub Alessia Russo made it 3-0 in the 68th minute with an audacious backheel after her initial effort had been saved.
And Fran Kirby got in on the act eight minutes later with a lobbed effort that Swedish keeper Hedvig Lindahl should have kept out.
Rampant England continued to look for more goals but had to settle for four as they were cheered all the way to the final whistle and a fourth clean sheet in five games.
Before you check out the best pictures from an unforgettable night, remember this: “It’s Beth Mead’s tournament. We’re just here to watch.”
Wiegman will hope that proves to be the case once again when the Lionesses run out for the final in front of another bumper crowd at the national stadium.
