Kelly makes history

QUARTER-FINALS

All four quarter-finals were won by the favourites but, in a further underlining of the sport’s growing depth, each had to work hard to progress. England and France required extra-time, Sweden’s winner came in injury-time, and Germany could not relax until a 90th-minute second.

England went first, coming from behind against a technically superior Spanish side almost through sheer will. Spain’s goal, neatly tucked in by Esther Gonzalez after smart work from her Real Madrid team-mate Athenea del Castillo, followed 54 minutes in which England were often chasing shadows.

But bolstered by astute substitutions and a raucous 28,994 crowd at Brighton, England dragged themselves level