UEFA Women's European Championship
Blackburn Rovers FC
Saturday 11 June 2005, 6pm

A historic result will bring an historic conclusion as England look to clinch a place in the European Women’s Championship semi-finals for the first time in ten years by beating Sweden for the first time since 1984 in their final Group A match of Women’s Euro 2005.

A draw may be sufficient for Hope Powell’s team, dependant on the result of the other group game involving Denmark and Finland, but the National Coach will send her side out at Ewood Park looking to end a run of seven successive Swedish defeats with what would be a sweet, sweet victory.

Powell, a 17 year-old midfielder in that 1984 England side, said: "We’ve progressed an awful lot over the last few years and the confidence is high throughout the squad. Sweden have to win the match to reach the semis and we know a draw might be good enough for us - but we’ll be going out to win."

The winning mentality bred by their recent run of ten victories from 12 matches is still strong in the England camp despite Wednesday’s 2-1 defeat by Denmark, who head into the final round of group games as leaders with England in second place, Sweden third and Finland - who England beat 3-2 in the opening match - at the bottom.

Charlton Athletic midfielder Katie Chapman, one of only two survivors from the starting line-up that lost 4-0 to Sweden at Euro 2001, said: "It’s fair to say Sweden were ahead of us back then, but our team has changed so much since. Now we’re competing on a level footing with any side we face and other teams are worrying about us.

"The spirit we have is fantastic and we have the belief in ourselves that we can get the result we need on Saturday." If England do indeed get the right result then Chapman could have a very special 23rd birthday on Wednesday, when the first of the semi-finals takes place at Preston.

"If we’re in that semi-final," she said, "then what a fantastic way to spend your birthday. But I’m not thinking about that, I’m just focusing totally on this game. It’s going to be very tough because Sweden are a very good side and they need the points, but I honestly believe we can do it."

Chapman’s positive attitude and confidence are mirrored throughout Powell’s squad, says midfielder Vicky Exley. The Doncaster Rovers Belles captain had her first taste of Women's Euro 2005 action on Wednesday, playing as substitute for Kelly Smith during the second half of what was a good England performance but an ultimately disappointing evening.

Like Chapman, Exley was part of the England squad at Euro 2001 and has seen the massive strides taken by Powell’s team in the ensuing years. "We weren’t expected to do anything last time," she recalled, "we weren’t even expected to score a goal. But we’ve come on so much as a team in the last four years.

"It was always said we feared teams like Germany, Sweden and Norway but not any more - we feel we can beat anyone. Losing to Denmark was a setback, but we felt we should have won the match and we can do that on Saturday. We are never expected to beat Sweden, but I think we can and everybody else in the squad feels we can."