England beat Sweden to reach first World Cup semi-final in 28 years
England have reached their first World Cup semi-final in 28 years after beating Sweden 2-0.
The team will play against Croatia on Wednesday after Croatia beat Russia 4-3 on penalties after a 2-2 draw after extra-time in their last-eight match in Sochi.
Goals from Harry Maguire and Dele Alli earned England’s place in the last four of the tournament, as Gareth Southgate’s side dominated proceedings.
The opening stages were evenly contested as both sides looked to assert authority on the tie in Samara. England looked nervous in the first 20 minutes but grew into the match.
Only 3000 England fans were in attendance at the game in Russia, with plenty of plenty seats to be seen around the stadium.
England looked the stronger team and were rewarded on the half hour mark when Maguire rose highest to power a header an Ashley Young set-piece into the bottom corner, as pubs across England erupted.
Jordan Pickford was rarely troubled in the first-half, spending most of the first 45 minutes watching on and was only called into action when his distribution up the pitch was required.
Raheem Sterling should have doubled the lead on the stroke of half-time as he raced onto a through but, when one-on-one he failed to go round the goalkeeper and he eventually had his shot blocked by Sweden skipper Andreas Granqvist.
Sweden were almost level less than two minutes after the break when Marcus Berg was found at the backpost when he beat Young in the air to head the ball towards the goal but Pickford react to dive low to his left and palm the effort away.
Alli made his most prominent impact of the tournament so far when he found space in the area to meet a looping Jesse Lingard cross beyond a stranded goalkeeper.
Viktor Claesson should have reduced the deficit soonafter when he ran onto a pullback but he was denied twice by Pickford wholooked unbeatable.
Maguire could have sealed the victory with 25 minutes left to play but when he advanced onto a loose ball in the box he only succeeded in firing it high and wide.
Pickford performed further heroics when Berg controlled a John Guidetti cross and smashed a half-volley at goal but the goalkeeper reacted to tip the shot over.
Captain Harry Kane told BBC Sport afterwards: "We know there is still a big game ahead with the semi-final, but we are feeling good and confident. We just have to go again, keep doing what we are doing and make the country proud."
The defeated Sweden head coach, Janne Andersen, admitted: "What went wrong? I am not sure anything went wrong as such. We didn't get to our best. We had things under control until they had that corner. England were the best team - congratulations to them"
Southgate took time to praise Pickford, he said: "A goal (for Sweden) at that stage and you have got the ball raining in your box probably for the last 20 minutes.
"He has been excellent and his distribution again today was superb."
England will face either host nation Russia or Croatia in the semi-final to be played on July 11. The winners of that match will face either Belgium or France in the final.
The nation's last World Cup semi-final saw them defeated on penalties by West Germany at Italia '90 and have no reached that stage since.
Goalscorer Maguire told ITV: "Obviously, an incredible moment, a first international goal on the biggest stage of all and into a semi-final now.
"We'll enjoy tonight, but it's back to preparing tomorrow and we've got another big game coming up.
"We know that set-plays are massive in this tournament, you've seen over previous tournaments as well, a lot of set-plays are first goals in knockout games because they're so tight and cagey.
"We were in control of the game, we didn't give them a sniff of our goal."