England give yet more hope to success-starved nation and other Sweden talking points

Here are the talking points:

THREE LIONS MARCH ON

England continue to get the job done in Russia – and raise expectations back home.

This is what a first World Cup semi-final since 1990 will do to a success-starved nation of football obsessives.

Maguire’s towering header made it eight set-piece goals from them in this edition, the most since Portugal in 1966. ‘A Great Year for English Football’, to steal a famous Nike advert’s tagline.

Chances came and went for Sweden. In-between, Alli did the business to convert Lingard’s cross to the back post.

From an anonymous display which betrayed his continued struggles with injury, the 22-year-old is now his nation’s second-youngest scorer at a World Cup.

England doubled Sweden’s tally of attempts (12 to six). In the previous round against Colombia across 120 minutes, they recorded 16 attempts.

A not dissimilar number. Vitally, a second goal through Alli provided security this time and negated the need for a penalty shootout.

Pickford’s incredible reactions also helped earn a first clean sheet of the tournament.

England are making the most of the easier side of the draw. Gareth Southgate’s decision to abandon continuity of selection for the Group G-finale against Belgium becomes wiser by the round.

They are professional, committed and organised – all adjectives absent four years when they went home winless from the groups and then were humiliated against Iceland in Euro 2016’s second stage.

Conclusions are hard to draw from a first-choice XI yet to face a stern test. But Southgate and his troops keep coming up with the right answers.

SWEDEN LOSE THEIR SPARK

An unsatisfying end then, to Sweden’s redoubtable journey.

Moulded in the image of spiky head coach Janne Andersson, the Scandinavians had left a trail of reputations in tatters. They saw off the Netherlands in qualifying, Italy in the play-offs and emerged from a Group F in which holders Germany – who required Toni Kroos’ last-minute heartbreaker to beat them – were eliminated.

It is a squad lacking few discernible standouts since the retirement of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, but they were set-up in a bullish 4-4-2 formation which had conceded only two goals en route to the quarter-finals.

They came so close to repeating 1994’s unlikely charge to the semi-finals. A run of just two England wins from their last 15 meetings just could not be extended.

Chances were created in Samara, as throughout the tournament. Again, a combination of awe-inspiring reflexes from Everton goalkeeper Pickford and Marcus Berg’s personal funk in front of goal contrived to keep them scoreless.

In the second half, Pickford picked out a searching header and rushed volley from the scoreless Al Ain man. In-between, he darted down to push away Viktor Claesson’s low effort and then Jordan Henderson did the rest on the rebound.

These were Sweden’s only three efforts on target from six attempts.

In truth, some of the usual spark and fight was absent. A style which demands attrition may have drained the energy banks too much for a last test.

STERLING NEEDS HIS SHOOTING BOOTS

Sweden’s defenders will rue the day they had to face Raheem Sterling.

The Manchester City forward was a central cog in Southgate’s tactical plan for the first half. His darting runs across, behind and in front of the opposing centre-backs allowed space for the likes of Jesse Lingard, Harry Kane and Alli – plus, himself.

But again, for all his virtues, a blank was drawn. This leaves the England supremo with a decision to make for the deep end of competition.

Sterling’s big moment came just before the interval. Picked out by former Liverpool colleague Jordan Henderson deft ball from deep, he was yet again played in the clear.

Bereft of confidence, goalkeeper Robin Olsen used his elongated 6 ft 6 in frame to paw away an attempt to round him. Then, a combination of personal indecision and Kane’s poor run led to a blocked shot.

A tally of 23 goals and 12 assists all club competitions in 2017/18 threatened to make him a breakout star.

Reality hasn’t been as kind in Russia. He performs a selfless job valued immensely by squad members and technical staff. Marcus Rashford – who replaced him in the 91^st minute – was outscored last term and Jamie Vardy also struck 23 times.

But does either have a strong shout to now enter England’s XI? After seven attempts across four games without finding the back of the net, it’s an issue to ponder.