England 0-0 Sweden: Lionesses secure automatic qualification to Euro 2025 as defending champions keep hosts at bay to grind out goalless draw

There was nothing glamorous about the way England sealed their qualification for Euro 2025.

Two summers ago the Lionesses were lighting up a home tournament, playing electrifying football that saw them crowned European champions for the first time in their history.

They have found it difficult to reach the levels they set for themselves in recent times but, importantly, they will be in Switzerland to defend their title next summer.

To retain their crown they will have to play better than they did in Gothenburg on Tuesday evening. This was not a champion performance against a Sweden team who had to win to progress, but it was enough to get the job done and avoid unwanted play-off matches later this year.

Sarina Wiegman’s reaction at full-time signalled just how crucial that will be when it comes to preparation for next summer’s tournament. She has a whole year to get her team ready to go again, rather than having to negotiate potentially tricky two-legged ties.

With two of the top-six ranked nations in the world all drawn in the same group, automatic qualification was never going to be straightforward for the Lionesses.

Second place is where they finished, despite France suffering a shock 3-1 defeat by the Republic of Ireland in their final game.

England just needed a point against Sweden, who finished two behind them in third place.

This campaign has shown there are issues for Wiegman to resolve. England have lacked fluidity and have appeared to tire in the second half of every game they have faced in their group.

One of Wiegman’s key selection dilemmas coming into Tuesday’s crucial match was whether to bring goalkeeper Mary Earps back into the starting XI or to stick with Hannah Hampton, who had started the last two games. Earps missed last month’s victory over France after picking up a hip injury in the defeat against Les Bleus four days earlier. She had been fit to play against the Republic of Ireland on Friday, but Hampton retained her place and Wiegman opted to keep the Chelsea shot-stopper in goal here.

The England manager had insisted before kick-off that it was too early to suggest that whoever started in goal would be the No1 choice moving forward, but starting Hampton over Earps was certainly a bold move and it feels as though it is now her shirt to lose.

England controlled possession in the first half without creating a chance of note. Neither team managed a shot on target before the half-time whistle, with Sweden’s best opportunity falling to right back Hanna Lundkvist, whose shot from the edge of the box flew over the bar.

England needed Hampton to make an important stop to keep out Filipa Angeldahl’s close-range effort from a set-piece before Lucy Bronze saw her header saved by Zecira Musovic at the other end.

Wiegman has spoken many times about sloppiness from her side throughout this campaign and they were guilty of playing themselves into trouble as the half wore on. Leah Williamson and Jess Carter were both guilty of gifting possession away while Millie Bright kept getting in Hampton’s way when the goalkeeper tried to come and collect crosses. Hampton dropped the ball on multiple occasions, though Wiegman was furious at a supposed lack of protection from the referee.

Hampton was nearly caught out when Angeldahl fired a 30-yard shot towards the top right corner of her goal, but she recovered well to produce a one-handed save to preserve England’s clean sheet.

England were hanging on during the four minutes of added time but, as has been the case throughout this campaign, they did just enough to get over the line.