England 1, Sweden 2
England were denied a possible 3rd place play-off finish at the World Cup by a contentious VAR decision that robbed Ellen White of a second equaliser in as many games.
Embed from Getty ImagesDefeat to Sweden meant that England could not match their performance at the World Cup four years earlier and haven’t beaten bogey side Sweden
Fran Kirby had started the England comeback in the 31st minute after early goals by Kosovare Asllani and Sofia Jakobsson had put Sweden into a 2-0 lead after 22 minutes.
But Ellen White had her second goal in two games ruled out by VAR after she thought she had equalised again just two minutes after Kirby’s goal.
It was the fifth goal ruled out after a VAR review during the World Cup with White the unlucky recipient of two of the judgements.
England could not break down the Swedes in the second half and saw Lucy Bronze’s last minute chance headed off the line.
Phil Neville made four changes to the side that lost to the USA in midweek for their last game in the World Cup at the Stade de Nice.
And although Karen Carney had announced her imminent retirement from football following the USA game she was not named in the starting line-up with Neville saying that England were after a bronze medal and that there was no room for sentimentality.
He did promise that Carney and Jodie Taylor, who had been kept out of the side by the prolific White, would get on the pitch during the match.
White was tied on six goals along with USA striker Alex Morgan and had a chance to go clear in the race for the Golden Boot.
There were four changes in all from the USA game, with Abbie McManus, Alex Greenwood, Jade Moore, and Fran Kirby returning to a more familiar 4-2-3-1 formation.
They replaced the suspended Millie Bright, with Demi Stokes, Keira Walsh, and Rachel Daly also stepping down as Neville made a total of 23 team changes during this tournament – more than any other in France.
Former Manchester City player Kosovare Asllani recovered from a heavy knock against the Netherlands to start for Sweden who shrugged off tired legs from having played a day later than England in a game that went to extra time on Wednesday.
There were a couple of wobbly moments for England as their intent to play out from the back almost cost them dearly early on.
But England switched off after an injury break saw England captain Steph Houghton led off the pitch to the sidelines for treatment.
Asllani drove the ball home after 11 minutes as Houghton waited to come back onto the pitch after Greenwood’s poor clearance fell the to Swedish playmaker whose powerful drive came off Carly Telford’s hand and into the back of the net.
Sweden won a corner 4 minutes later with Sofia Jakobsson’s shot coming off Telford and the post for a corner.
Jakobsson doubled the lead after 22 minutes when Fridolena Rolfo’s cut back allowed her team mate plenty of space to pick her spot for a goal that went in off Telford with England’s marking lacking again.
Lucy Bronze won a corner following a long range effort palmed away by Hedvig Lindahl while Kirby found Beth Mead for a shot that was saved before the offside flag ruled it out anyway.
England pulled one back after 31 minutes when Kirby cut inside from the right flank and hauled England back into the game with a curling left footed strike that went inside the back post after Jill Scott had slipped her in with a through ball.
Ellen White goal ruled out by VAR again
There was England heartbreak for the second game in a row when White’s goal two minutes later was ruled out by VAR for handball after Beth Mead’s cross bobbled up off her chest and then seemingly off her arm before she turned Linda Sembrant and scored.
White was distraught at the ruling and claimed the loose ball had come off Sembrant but her appeals were turned down.
England were inspired though and had a positive period of pressure before half time. In which Kirby seemed to be pushed by Jakobsson in the Swedish area.
Houghton’s mistake in injury time almost cost England another goal even though White had a late shot saved by Lindahl.
Sweden had lost both Rolfo and Asllani to injury by half time – they were replaced by Lina Hurtig and Julia Zigiotti Olme and England made their own change soon after the restart with Jodie Taylor replacing Mead after 50 minutes.
Jade Moore shot wide from 35 yards out after England reshuffled with White moving to the left flank to allow Taylor into the central striker role.
Lindahl escaped a possible handball call after racing off her line to beat Taylor to a loose ball as England improved in the second half.
Taylor also hit the post from an offside position while Telford had to save from Zigiotti Olme but neither side had a clean cut chance.
Karen Carney’s final England match ends in disappointment after Lucy Bronze shot cleared off the line
Karen Carney finally made it on for her 144th and final England international, replacing Nikita Parris with 16 minutes to go.
Carney’s late cross put Sweden under pressure but Amandsa Ilestedt blocked White as she shaped to shoot, further frustating England, before she shot wide.
Neville’s last throw of the dice was to bring on Rachel Daly for Abbie McManus as England went more offensive and Lucy Bronze saw a last minute shot cleared off the line by Nilla Fischer’s head while Carney’s shot was an easy save for Lindahl.
But England could not break through the Swedish defence and almost conceded through Zigliotti Olme who slipped at a crucial moment when clean through.
MATCH STATS – England 1, Sweden 2
England Women: Telford, Bronze, Houghton, McManus (Daly 83), Greenwood, Moore, Parris (Carney 74), Scott, Kirby, Mead (Taylor 50), White
England Women Subs not used: Bardsley, Earps, Walsh, Taylor, Duggan, Stokes, Williamson, Stanway, Staniforth
Booked: Moore 90+4 (foul)
Goal: Kirby 31
Sweden Women: Lindahl, Glas, Fischer, Sembrant, Eriksson, Bjorn (Ilestedt 71), Seger, Jakobsson, Asllani (Zigiotti Olme 46), Rolfo (Hurtig 27), Blackstenius
Sweden Women Subs not used: Andersson, Janogy, Falk, Roddar, Anvegard, Larsson, Musovic, Schough, Rubensson
Booked: Lindahl 85 (Time wasting)
Goals: Asllani 11, Jakobsson 22