Sweden goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl believes the investment and improvement in the English game in recent years means her nation's good record against their Women's European Championship semi-final opponents will mean very little.
The Swedes needed a late Linda Sembrant goal against Belgium in their quarter-final to advance to play tournament hosts England, who edged past Spain 2-1 in the last eight thanks to an extra-time thunderbolt from Georgia Stanway.
The two teams will face off on Tuesday at Bramall Lane, Sheffield for a place in the final.
England have won just three of their 26 meetings with Sweden in all competitions (D8 L15), while they have only lost more often against Germany (21) than they have against the Swedes.
However, when asked if this impressive record gives them an advantage during the team's media day on Sunday, former Chelsea stopper Lindahl said: "No, because we all know the development that's been in the English league, and the investment that's gone into English football in the last seven years.
"I know it first hand because I came to Chelsea in 2015 and I've seen the game take off in England. Obviously that will have an effect on the national team, because the league has grown and people have to grow with it. So you can't really rely on history.
"But what I do take with me is that we know these are players we've beaten. We've managed to beat them before and we can do it again."
The 39-year-old has made eight saves across her team's four games so far, conceding just two goals, and is looking forward to returning to Sheffield, where Sweden played their first two games against the Netherlands and Switzerland.
"I had imagined coming into this tournament that we would face England at some point. I wasn't aware of when we were able to see each other," she said. "I thought it was going to be at Wembley, but now it's in Sheffield, and I think that's a good thing for us because we played a few games there. It's kind of like our home pitch, and so I look forward to it."
Lindahl is well aware of the dangers England pose, with tournament top scorer Beth Mead in the form of her life, scoring five goals in the Euros and having had a hand in 31 goals in all competitions under Sarina Wiegman so far (19 goals, 12 assists) in 18 games.
"I think we've all seen how much success they've had with their wingers, especially Beth Mead," Lindahl added.
"They have quality players in every position and two of them in every position. So I think we're gonna face a collective, well-organised team under the leadership of their new coach. So it's going to be a tough one."
Wiegman: England 'a little too sloppy' during South Africa victory
Sarina Wiegman conceded England were "a little too sloppy" during their narrow 2-1 win over South Africa.
The Lionesses got back to winning ways following their 4-3 defeat by Germany last time out, with first-half goals from Leah Williamson and Grace Clinton putting them in control at the Coventry Building Society Arena.
However, South Africa halved the deficit 10 minutes into the second half, as Thembi Kgatlana pounced on Williamson's error before racing away and slotting past Mary Earps.
England subsequently endured a nervy finish to see out the victory, and Wiegman knows her players must improve.
"I thought after the first half, it would be more straightforward," she told ITV. "We played well in the first half, we had some stronger moments. We were a little too sloppy, but we created some chances from corners. We scored a very good goal.
"Second half, we got there, but we were a little sloppy. They were smart on the counter-attack, and it was hard for us.
"We need to keep trying, keep playing football, keep playing forwards. At the moment in transition, they really jumped on us. [We must] talk about it and move forward."
Clinton grabbed her second goal in just four caps when she nodded in Maya Le Tissier's cross, and the Manchester United midfielder hopes she did her chances of featuring more frequently no harm.
"It was a tough game, South Africa are a great team," she added. "We expected them to be tough, and we dealt with their individual qualities.
"It is a good night for me. I'm nice and confident, and I'm happy to be there. Everyone wants to play for England, for their country. I want to stay confident and keep getting goals."
England must 'reinvent themselves' ahead of Euro 2025, says Stanway
Georgia Stanway said it is “inevitable” that England will plateau after their huge success and that they need to reinvent themselves moving forward.
After a 30-game unbeaten run under Sarina Wiegman at the beginning of her tenure, the Lionesses suffered their first defeat in April last year.
The Lionesses were crowned Euro 2022 champions and reached the Women's World Cup final in Australia.
However, results have been hit-and-miss, including a disappointing Nations League campaign that saw Team GB miss out on qualification for the Paris Olympics.
England's 4-3 defeat to Germany, the visitors' first game under new manager Christian Wuck, was another reminder of the progress other teams on the continent are making.
Stanway, who scored twice at Wembley last week, said maintaining such a high level of consistency was almost impossible, but said her team must remain difficult to beat.
"When the expectation is continuous we are probably not able to live up to it. I think it's inevitable that at some point you are going to plateau," said Stanway.
"We have been with Sarina [Wiegman] for four years now so we will get to a point where we can't continuously win because teams will figure us out.
"That's where we have to work together to reinvent ourselves - change a little bit of tactics, bits here and there, and get the one up on the opposition again.
"As much as teams are evolving, we also have to evolve."
England are back in action when they face South Africa in a friendly on Tuesday, their first meeting on home soil.
The Lionesses have won 19 of their last 21 games when hosting an opponent for the very first time (D1 L1), scoring 96 goals and conceding just four times across those matches.
But the game offers the possibility of going three games without a win under Wiegman for a second time, with Stanway and her team-mates aiming to put things right.
"Facing adversities is normal. The Germany game was interesting. We couldn't get control but it was an opportunity to keep growing," she added.
"Outside media think us having a good game is the result. We need to become performance-driven.
"Playing for England is another level. We drive the standards, need consistency in emotion and set an example. People forget we lost a lot of big characters.
"Myself, [Ella] Toone and Alessia [Russo] were born in 1999. We're not experienced leaders yet but I'm only 25. I’m also trying to learn every day."
Sweden and Czechia record convincing wins in Euro 2025 playoffs
Sweden put one foot in the second round of the Women's Euro 2025 qualification play-offs by beating Luxembourg 4-0, while Czechia routed Belarus 8-1.
Sweden, semi-finalists at the last European Championships in 2022, were comfortable winners in the first leg of their tie, with Arsenal's Stine Blackstenius and Chelsea's Johanna Rytting Kaneryd joining Filippa Angeldahl and Evelyn Ijeh on the scoresheet.
They were not the most convincing victors of the day, though, as Czechia ran riot in Velika Gorica despite going down to 10 players when Eliska Sonntagova was sent off in the 55th minute.
Katerina Svitkova and Kamila Dubcova both scored twice for Czechia, who had six different goalscorers in their win.
Earlier on Friday, Norway all-but secured their spot in the next phase with a resounding 5-0 victory in Albania.
Arsenal's Frida Maanum opened the scoring, driving home after latching onto Caroline Hansen's flick, before centre-back Guro Bergsvand added a first-half brace to take the game away from the hosts.
Lyon great Ada Hegerberg came off the bench on the hour mark and scored with her first touch – a sumptuous volley – just 45 seconds later, then Mathilde Harviken round off the scoring in the 74th minute.
Portugal also recorded a dominant success, winning 4-1 in Azerbaijan after racing into a three-goal lead within the first 26 minutes.
Early goals from Ana Capeta, Tatiana Pinto and Diana Gomes put the visitors in command, with Diana Silva restoring their three-goal advantage late on after Nazlican Parlak had pulled one back for Azerbaijan.
There were also victories for the Republic of Ireland, who triumphed 4-0 in Georgia, and Scotland, who edged out Hungary 1-0 on their travels.
The return fixtures take place on Tuesday, with 14 ties taking place in total to decide who advances to the second round, set to take place in November and December.
Seven more places are up for grabs at the tournament, which will begin in Switzerland on July 2 and finish on July 27.
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