WOMEN'S EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP 6th - 31st JULY.

QF 4 - France v Holland - Saturday 23rd July - Venue: New York Stadium, Rotherham - 8pm.

Netherlands boss Mark Parsons says he is still waiting for a "goosebumps" performance from his side as they prepare to face France in the Euro 2022 quarter-final in Rotherham.

The defending champions have lost Lieke Martens to a foot injury but Vivianne Miedema is back from a bout of Covid.

"We didn't come in on fire like France, Sweden or England. We had to grow, taking blows," said Englishman Parsons.

The winner faces Germany in the Milton Keynes semi-final next Wednesday.

France - who have never been beyond the Euros quarter-finals - are ranked third in the world, with the Dutch fourth. Sweden, the top ranked side in Europe, face hosts England in the other semi-final.

Sarina Wiegman led the Dutch to Euro 2017 glory but left to take charge of England last year, with Parsons replacing her.

QF 4 - France 1 Holland 0 AET - Stats: 52% - 48% - Shots 33-9 - On Target 13-1 - Corners 12-5 - Fouls 7-15 - Referee: Ivana Martincic - Attendance: 9,764

France overcame a stubborn Netherlands as they beat the defending champions in extra time to reach the semi-final of the Euros for the first time.

Eve Perisset finally broke the deadlock for Les Bleus from the spot in the 102nd minute to set up a last-four meeting with Germany in Milton Keynes on Wednesday.

That came after Kadidiatou Diani was fouled by Dominique Janssen inside the box, a decision given after the referee consulted the pitchside monitor.

The Dutch had somehow repelled wave after wave of French attack as goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar produced one of the tournament's standout solo displays, though she could not get a strong enough hand on Perisset's spot-kick.

Star forward Vivianne Miedema missed a rare chance of her own for the Netherlands but it was always France who looked more threatening and Grace Geyoro headed a glorious opportunity wide in the final moments of normal time.

The crucial moment eventually came in extra time, when Janssen caught Diani in a hopeful lunge that was not initially picked up by Ivana Martincic and instead flagged by the video assistant referee.

France have fallen at the quarter-final hurdle in their past three Euros, but Perisset's penalty was enough to break that run and send them into a semi-final with Germany.

Semi-Finals

SF 2 - Germany v France - Wednesday 27th July - 8pm.

Semi-Final 1

England v Sweden - Tuesday 26th July - Bramall lane, Sheffield - 8pm - Live on BBC 1.

England will attempt to reach the European Women's Championship final for a third time when they face 1984 winners Sweden on Tuesday.

The Lionesses, one of the pre-Euros favourites, have never won the trophy but their performances have raised expectations they could win a major tournament for the first time.

England thrashed Norway 8-0 in the group stage and reached the last four after coming from behind to defeat Spain in extra time.

Sweden, second in the Fifa rankings behind the USA and therefore the top-ranked team at Euro 2022, scraped through to the semi-finals courtesy of an injury-time goal against Belgium.

England and Sweden have faced each other 26 times, but the Lionesses have won just three of those fixtures and beaten 15 times. Only against Germany (21) have they suffered more defeats.

Bramall Lane's 32,000-seater stadium is expected to be full for the match against Sweden, a reflection of how successful the tournament has been in England.

Hopefully we'll have Greenwood on for Daly tonight. I wouldn't be mad if Russo and Toone stay over White and Kirby as well but I don't see it happening.

Semi-Final 1

England 4 Sweden 0 - Stats: 58% - 42% - Shots 17-12 - On Target 8-3 - Corners 4-6 - Fouls 7-13 - Yellows 1-1 - Referee: Esther Staubli - Attendance 28,624.

England reached their first major women's tournament final since 2009 in stunning fashion as they put four past Olympic finalists Sweden at Euro 2022 in Sheffield.

The Lionesses, who extended their unbeaten run to 19 games under manager Sarina Wiegman, will play either Germany or France for the ultimate prize at Wembley on 31 July.

It was a thrilling match from start to finish at Bramall Lane as Sweden piled on the pressure in the opening 25 minutes, only for England to dismantle them with ruthless finishing and a touch of class.

Substitute Alessia Russo once again produced a moment of magic when her instinctive backheel made it 3-0 to England only 11 minutes after her introduction.

Golden Boot leader Beth Mead had put England ahead in the first half against the run of play, spinning and firing into the far corner, before defender Lucy Bronze headed in a second.

Chelsea's Fran Kirby put the icing on the cake when she chipped despairing goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl to complete the rout.

England keeper Mary Earps was in fine form, pulling off numerous saves to deny Arsenal striker Stina Blackstenius - the best coming early in the second half when she reacted to tip a looping effort inches over the crossbar from close range.

Blackstenius had earlier hit the crossbar before Mead's opener swung momentum in England's favour and from then on it was a display of their impressive attacking depth.

Victory for the Lionesses ends a 13-year wait to return to the final of a major tournament and they are the favourites to lift the trophy for the first time at Wembley on Sunday.

though worthy winners in the end, i would imagine that the manager would be concerned about the lack lustre start that could have...with a bit of Swedish luck.... seen England possibly 2-0 down... but after Meads opener it was a game,controlled by the Lionesses, the passing and off the ball movement was improved and the result was emphatic as their second half display..... well done.. proved me wrong anyway !!

Semi-Final 2

Germany 2 France 1 - Stats: 50%-50% - Shots 11-14 - On Target 4-2 - Corners 4-3 - Fouls 14-8 - Referee: Cheryl Foster - Attendance 27,445.

Eight-time European champions Germany will play England in the Euro 2022 final at Wembley on Sunday after they beat France in a dramatic semi-final in Milton Keynes.

After a quiet opening 40 minutes, Alexandra Popp put Germany ahead with a volley from Svenja Huth's cross from the right side of the penalty area for her fifth goal in five games.

However, their lead only lasted four minutes before Kadidiatou Diani broke free and shot from outside the penalty area with her effort hitting the post and bouncing in off unfortunate goalkeeper Merle Frohms.

The Germany goalkeeper made three vital saves to keep it at 1-1 before Popp headed in her sixth goal of the tournament, taking her level with England's Beth Mead as joint leading scorer, for what proved to be the winner.

Sunday's final takes place at a sold out Wembley, which can hold 90,000, and the match could set a new attendance record for a match in a European Championship, either male or female.

England, looking to win the tournament for the first time, thrashed Sweden, the highest-ranked European side, 4-0 at Sheffield United's Bramall Lane on Tuesday.

England's Lionesses stand on the brink of women's football history as they take on Germany in the European Championship final at Wembley on Sunday.

Victory would be both the first major trophy for the England women's team and the first football honour for the nation since the men's 1966 World Cup win.

As well as making the team household names, a victory is also predicted to catapult women's football in England to new heights.

But standing in the way again are Germany, who have won the competition eight times. They beat England 6-2 in the final of Euro 2009, the last time they played each other at the tournament.

The match is expected to be a sellout at Wembley, which has an 87,200 capacity for the Euros, with kick-off at 17:00 BST.

There is coverage across BBC television, radio and online, with millions expected to watch the match on the BBC.

The semi-final attracted a peak TV audience of 9.3m. England's World Cup semi-final against the USA in 2019 holds the UK record for women's football with 11.7m watching on the BBC.

Both teams have been the standout sides in the tournament, each conceding just one goal, and have shown their class to reach the showpiece at Wembley.

The Lionesses justified their status as one of the pre-tournament favourites with a 4-0 semi-final thrashing of Sweden, ranked second in the world, while Germany, who came into the Euros as a bit of an unknown quantity, edged past France 2-1.

WOW, WOW and triple WOW, it really is coming home, after 56 years of hurt the Women have finally brought home a trophy.

Very apt as they were banned for 50 years by the FA from playing the game until the 1970's.

ENGLAND 2 Germany 1 (AET - No Penalties Needed)- Wembley Stadium - 31st July 2022.
Toone & Kelly, Magull.

Stats: 49% - 51% - Shots 13-16 - On Target 8-7 - Corners 8-7 - Fouls 20-22 - Yellows 4-3 - Referee: Kateryna Monzul - Attendance: 87,192

England created history by winning their first major women's tournament in a dramatic Euro 2022 final against old rivals and eight-time champions Germany at Wembley.

Substitute Chloe Kelly poked home a loose ball from a corner to send the raucous record crowd of 87,192 into a frenzy with ten minutes of extra time remaining.

She waited for confirmation of the goal before taking off her shirt and waving it around her head, while being lifted by her team-mates in a moment of pure elation.

On a monumental day in English football history, Sarina Wiegman's side showed they were equal to anything a strong and physical Germany team threw at them.

Ella Toone had earlier come off the bench to score the opener in normal time before Germany's Lina Magull set up a nervous ending when she equalised in the 79th minute.

There were scenes of jubilation in the stands and an outpouring of emotion by players on the pitch at full-time as the magnitude of their achievement sank in.