England, Sweden players proud of penalty shootout performance despite criticism

ZURICH :Players from England and Sweden heaped praise on each other for their bravery in a penalty shootout at the Women's European Championship on Thursday, despite a record-low conversion rate and criticism from fans.

England's 3-2 shootout victory over Sweden, which secured the reigning champions a place in the Euro 2025 semi-finals, featured missed efforts and saves by both goalkeepers.

Yet with England missing four and Sweden missing five of their seven efforts, the players drew plenty of online criticism. 

"For anyone to step up, it takes a lot, so credit to anyone who takes a penalty in those moments," England forward Alessia Russo said. 

After what was described on the BBC website as the "greatest and worst shootout of all time", Sweden defender Smilla Holmberg received comfort, not criticism, from players on both sides after missing the decisive kick.

"(We told her) that she should be proud of herself, that she is brave, that she has played a great championship and that she is awesome," an emotional Sweden keeper Jennifer Falk told reporters.

The meagre 36 per cent conversion rate was the worst combined penalty shootout rate in UEFA Women's Euro history, according to ESPN, the only other one under 50 per cent was the 2017 semi-final between Denmark and Austria (43 per cent).

However, former Sweden goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl, who suffered a similar 3-2 shootout defeat in the 2021 Olympic final against Canada, told Reuters on Friday that Falk and England keeper Hannah Hampton deserved praise in the shootout. 

"We have to give credit to the goalkeepers who really owned that moment last night ... with each save that Falk made, she grew in the eyes of the penalty-takers, and so too did Hampton," she said after Falk made four