England women clinch spot to defend European Championship title

European champions England withstood a second-half barrage to grab a 0-0 draw with Sweden in Group A3 and qualify for Euro 2025, with the Swedes heading for the playoffs after finishing third in the pool.

England finished as runners-up in the group on 11 points, one behind winners France who slumped to a shock 3-1 defeat away to Ireland -- their first points of the campaign. The Swedes finished with eight points.

Knowing they only needed a draw to advance, England contained Sweden well in the first half but came under enormous pressure in the second.

Sweden's Filippa Angeldahl almost scored with a thunderous late strike, but keeper Hannah Hampton clawed it away to keep her clean sheet intact and see England through to next year's finals in Switzerland .

France, who were already through after a win over the Swedes in Dijon on Friday, went two goals behind to Ireland in Cork before pulling one back, but a 90th-minute goal form Anna Patten wrapped up victory for the hosts.

With the Swiss qualifying automatically as hosts, the top two teams in each of the four League A groups go through, with the third and fourth-placed sides going into a series of playoffs to decide who will get the remaining seven spots in the 16-team tournament.

Italy thrashed Finland 4-0 to top Group A1 on nine points with Netherlands , who drew 1-1 away to Norway in Bergen, also going through automatically.

In Group A2 Spain and Denmark had already secured direct qualification, with the World Cup champions closing out the campaign with a 2-0 win over Belgium , while the Danes defeated Czechia by the same scoreline.

Germany won Group A4 with 15 points form their six matches, but their 4-0 win over Austria was tainted by an injury to midfielder Lena Oberdorf . Iceland took second place, two points behind Germany thanks to a 1-0 win away to Poland .