England won 2-0 to Sweden and qualified to the semifinals of the World Cu

England returns An empire returns The one of the English soccer. That of the inventors of a sport they had felt displaced from (at least in international tournaments) for decades. They have been 28 years of hard drought without stepping on the semifinal of a World Cup. The last one was played in Italy 90. An eternity in football terms. But the wait, they will think of the Islands, it has been worth it. Especially because this England feels safe and comfortable in its new identity, that one that has carved them with three defenses Southgate , something more than a good mannequin carrying his already famous (who knows if also superstitious) gray vest.

Following the path of their coach, the pross beat Sweden without suffering too much. At least not in general terms of a party that dominated with relative simplicity, but could not decide until the strong Nordic back gave them the first corner of the game. There, the rocket that has Maguire as its head emerged to make a hole in the Swedish wall.

The clock marked the 30th minute, but the first half died there. The second rock started, with Sweden believing that it could come back. And he tried with the formula with which he has been planted (and died) in these quarterfinals: dangerous contras. There emerged the lone hero of the game. Pickford, the English goalkeeper did not have to stop very much. They shot him three times between sticks. But all smelled and sounded like a goal. In all it was feline. As before Colombia in eighths. There is porterazo for the first time in a long time in the Islands. The duel was then what happened between intervention and saving intervention of the Everton guard. Intervals that Dele Alli took to make the second goal English. Also of head, but this one, in the middle of a Swedish defensive disaster. Rare epigraph for a battle without much more history than the return of an empire. Little joke. The English are already firmly believe their 'Football is coming home' . Next stop: Russia or Croatia.