GOTHENBURG, Sweden (Reuters) – European champions England withstood a second-half barrage to grab a 0-0 draw with Sweden in Group A3 and qualify for Euro 2025, with the Swedes heading for the playoffs after finishing third in the pool.
England finished as runners-up in the group on 11 points, one behind winners France who slumped to a shock 3-1 defeat away to Ireland, who grabbed their first points of the campaign. The Swedes finished with eight points.
Knowing they only needed a draw to advance, England contained Sweden well in the first half but came under enormous pressure in the second.
Sweden’s Filippa Angeldahl almost scored with a thunderous late strike but keeper Hannah Hampton clawed it away to keep her clean sheet intact and see England through to next year’s finals in Switzerland.
France, who were already through after a win over the Swedes in Dijon on Friday, went two goals behind to Ireland in Cork before pulling one back, but a 90th-minute goal form Anna Patten wrapped up victory for the hosts.
With the Swiss qualifying automatically as hosts, the top two teams in each of the four League A groups go through, with the third and fourth-placed sides going into a series of playoffs to decide who will get the remaining seven spots in the 16-team tournament.
Italy thrashed Finland 4-0 to top Group A1 on nine points with Netherlands, who drew 1-1 away to Norway in Bergen, also going through automatically.
In Group A2 Spain and Denmark had already secured direct qualification, with the Spaniards closing out the campaign with a 2-0 win over Belgium, while the Danes defeated the Czech Republic by the same scoreline.
Germany won Group A4 with 15 points form their six matches, but their 4-0 win over Austria was tainted by an injury to midfielder Lena Oberdorf. Iceland took second place, two points behind Germany thanks to a 1-0 win away to Poland.
(Reporting by Philip O’Connor; Editing by Toby Davis)
