England v Sweden predictions: Lionesses can book spot in Wembley final

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for England v Sweden in the semi-finals of the Women's Euros on Tuesday.

Where to watch

BBC One, 8pm Tuesday

Best bet

England
2pts 10-11 Hills

Alessia Russo to score last
1pt 11-2 bet365, Paddy Power

Team news

England
Sarina Wiegman has no new injury concerns. Alex Greenwood is expected to replace Rachel Daly at left-back and the Lionesses record goalscorer Ellen White is likely to lead the line.

Sweden
Veteran midfielder Caroline Seger continues to battle a heel injury.

Preview

England came through their toughest test yet at Euro 2022 on Wednesday, edging out ante-post favourites Spain in extra-time in the quarter-finals, and the Lionesses will be hungry for more heading into their semi-final clash with Sweden at Bramall Lane.

A dream Wembley final is in touching distance for Sarina Wiegman's side, who beat the star-studded Spaniards 2-1 courtesy of Georgia Stanway's stunning strike.

Prior to that test England had breezed through the group stage, beating Austria, Norway and Northern Ireland by an aggregate score of 14-0, but spectators saw a different side to the Lionesses in Brighton.

Spain boss Jorge Vilda instructed his players to press high and hunt down the Lionesses and Spain took the lead through Esther Gonzalez. But England dug deep and Wiegman made the appropriate tactical tweaks to get England over the line, deploying central defender Millie Bright up front to enhance her side's attacking threat.

England showed they were made of stern stuff to turn last week's quarter-final on its head and, having extended their unbeaten run to 18 matches, they are a great bet to beat Sweden and book their final berth.

The Swedes, who were semi-finalists at the 2019 World Cup, will be no pushovers, but they have not been at their best at Euro 2022. They were run close in two of their three group games before requiring a 92nd-minute winner to see off a mediocre Belgium outfit in the quarter-finals.

England's strength in depth should give them the edge and one player who has impressed coming off the bench throughout the tournament is forward Alessia Russo.

Russo was on target in the 8-0 demolition of Norway and bagged a brace in the 5-0 thrashing of Northern Ireland before playing a part in Ella Toone's 84th-minute equaliser against Spain.

There have been calls for Russo to displace Ellen White in England's starting line-up but the Manchester United forward arguably operates better in her role as super-sub. The tournament hosts will hope that if introduced later in the game once more, Russo can find space behind a tiring Sweden defence.

All three of her goals at Euro 2022 have come in the second half of matches and it could pay to back the 23-year-old to send England on their way to a Wembley final with the last goal at Bramall Lane.

Key stat

England have scored at least three goals in eight of their last ten matches.

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