England defender Morgan still buzzing after wild shootout win

ZURICH :England defender Esme Morgan said on Saturday it had been difficult to sleep since her team's "ridiculous" come-from-behind quarter-final victory over Sweden with its wild penalty shootout that will not be soon forgotten.

With the defending champions facing Italy in the semi-finals on Tuesday, the 24-year-old was still buzzing from Thursday's chaotic night in Zurich that featured injuries, a bloody nose, a mysterious note, and a wacky shootout that will go down as one of the worst but one of the most memorable ever.

"Obviously that was ridiculous really, to sum it up in one word," Morgan said.

The one negative on the night was captain Leah Williamson limping off with an ankle injury, but Morgan said the team were optimistic she would be available to face Italy.

"She seemed in very high spirits this morning," she said.

Morgan was one of coach Sarina Wiegman's 70th-minute substitutes in the Sweden game. "Apparently my mom was sobbing when I came on, bless her," she said.

The television camera spotted Morgan handing a note to fellow defender Lucy Bronze. Morgan joked later on Instagram that the note said "Save us GOAT."

The 33-year-old Bronze was huge in England's victory, scoring in the 79th minute and then hastily unwrapping her taped hamstring to smash home the winning penalty in the shootout.

"We are all inspired by her mentality, she's a freak really in that she just has so much passion, energy, fight and she infects everyone else with it," Morgan said.

"That note might as well have said that because that's apparently what she read on it. She put her shoulders back and played like: 'I'm not letting us go home'."

IMPRESSIVE KELLY

Chloe Kelly was also impressive as a late substitute, and was one of three England players