England star Lucy Bronze has revealed she is playing through pain caused by a knee injury in order to help the Lionesses' bid a first major tournament victory, having netted in a 4-0 semi-final rout of Sweden.
Bronze's header put England two goals up against the Swedes at Bramall Lane, after which Alessia Russo's incredible backheel and Fran Kirby's long-range strike helped the hosts record the biggest ever victory in a Women's Euro semi-final.
Tournament hosts England, beaten European Championship finalists in both 1984 and 2009, will now take part in the showpiece final at Wembley on Sunday.
And Bronze, who scooped FIFA's The Best Women's Player award in 2020, is blocking out the pain in an attempt to help her country to glory, as she played down her last-four goalscoring feat.
"I've just got to play through it," Bronze said. "There are plenty of players who are having to play through pain in their career and I'm now one of them.
"I don't feel like I did a couple of years ago. The Lucy Bronze of a couple of years ago was 'the best player in the world'.
"It's been difficult to come back from a knee injury which has lingered for a very long time and still is now."
Bronze added: "The goals and assists are not something I consider a major part of my game. I'd much rather the likes of Beth and Ellen [White] and Hempo [Lauren Hemp] get on the scoresheet. I enjoyed it, though. I'd not scored in a Euros.
"I'm still happy to be contributing to the team, still playing good football, obviously getting an assist for Beth [Mead] and getting her up there to get the Golden Boot. It would be nice to be part of her little individual journey."
England ended a run of three successive major semi-final defeats with their resounding win in Sheffield, having fallen in the final four at the 2017 Euros and the 2015 and 2019 World Cups.
And Bronze believes those painful experiences made Tuesday's win even sweeter, adding: "For players like myself and Ellen and Fran, who've experienced a lot of semi-final defeats, it's nice to get over those defeats, get over the line and finally get ourselves in the final. But it’s certainly not job done."
Meanwhile, England boss Sarina Wiegman has come in for praise after leading the side through an unprecedented 11-match winning streak, the Lionesses scoring 104 goals in her 19 games at the helm.
Bronze believes Wiegman's ability to keep the squad grounded has been a major factor in their terrific run on home soil, adding: "It's just practical information she's giving. I think that being Dutch, she's to the point. She tries not to get carried away.
"It's quite funny that pretty much everyone in the whole of Holland said they've never seen Sarina Wiegman jump around like she did after the Spain game!
"I think she said herself that the Spanish performance was one of the best she'd ever seen – to come through that was amazing not just for the team but for her as a manager and coach.
"In a home Euros there's a lot of emotion and a lot of support. We don't want to get carried away too much and she's one of those people that is very process-driven.
"She's very excited, but once the game's done we're on to the next game. We don't get carried away with our emotions but on and off the field we still enjoy the game and still enjoy the moment at the right time."
Paddy Madden hat-trick seals League Two title for Stockport
Paddy Madden’s first-half hat-trick crowned Stockport champions of League Two with a 5-2 win despite a brief second-half comeback from Notts County.
Despite Macaulay Langstaff going close for the Magpies early on, the visitors took the lead before the half-hour mark as Aden Baldwin’s slip allowed Madden to finish, grabbing his second from the penalty spot after a handball was given against Dan Crowley.
Madden went on to complete a second hat-trick in four games five minutes before the interval, his effort deflecting off Baldwin and over Luca Ashby-Hammond.
Dave Challinor’s side continued their rampant form into the second half as Antoni Sarcevic curled an effort into the bottom corner.
Langstaff sparked the home side’s revival, finishing low into the corner, and Crowley scored two minutes later with a fine finish from the edge of the box.
Louie Barry hit the post from another spot-kick awarded to the visitors after Kyle Cameron tripped Connor Lemonheigh-Evans, but Ethan Pye’s header secured Stockport their first Football League division title since 1967.
Mansfield clinch promotion with win over Accrington
Mansfield finally achieved their promotion dream as a 2-1 home win over Accrington sent them up to League One for the first time since 2002.
The Stags took a second-minute lead when George Maris received the ball back from Stephen Quinn at a short corner and launched a dangerous ball into the six-yard box which found the net off Stanley midfielder Tommy Leigh at the near post.
Hiram Boateng then forced a good save from Stanley goalkeeper Radek Vitek low to his right after Davis Keillor-Dunn had helped on a Tom Nichols pass after nine minutes.
Shaun Whalley headed Stanley’s best chance of the half straight at Christy Pym from seven yards from a 20th-minute corner in a rare raid forward.
Maris, at full stretch, was just unable to turn a low Lucas Akins cross into a gaping net at the far post after 32 minutes and Keillor-Dunn fired inches over the far angle from 20 yards on 51 minutes.
But the killer second goal came on 63 minutes to seal a decisive third win in eight days.
Keillor-Dunn found Quinn at the near post from the left and, although Vitek saved his first shot, the Irish veteran tucked away the loose ball from close range.
Five minutes from time Leigh pulled one back for Stanley as he controlled and volleyed at goal from 14 yards and the ball deflected past Pym.
Halifax and Ebbsfleet draw a blank
Play-off hopefuls Halifax were held to a goalless draw by lowly Ebbsfleet in the Vanarama National League.
Halifax dominated the match, which was played at Accrington’s Wham Stadium due to The Shay pitch being unplayable, but could not find a way through.
Max Wright hit the side-netting and Jamie Cooke shot narrowly wide in the first half.
After the break Ebbsfleet goalkeeper Mark Cousins made saves from Cooke and Luke Summerfield to secure a point for the visitors.
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