Leicy Santos' stunning goal put Colombia ahead late in the first half but Lauren Hemp's scrappy equaliser levelled for England after an error from Catalina Perez. Alessia Russo fired home after the break to win the game for England. Lionesses will play Australia on Wednesday
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Alessia Russo's second-half goal saw England beat Colombia 2-1 in the Women's World Cup quarter-finals, setting up a semi-final showdown with Australia.
Many wondered how a mentally and physically draining last-16 win against Nigeria would affect the Lionesses, but it was a much-improved performance in Sydney.
However, England did go behind in the 44th minute when Leicy Santos' stunning effort saw Mary Earps beaten for only the second time in the tournament. But a calamitous error from Colombia goalkeeper Catalina Perez allowed Lauren Hemp to poke home the equaliser with the last kick of the half.
It was another individual error at the back that allowed Russo through to score England's winner in the 63rd minute, netting her second goal of the tournament.
England clung on to their lead as Colombia pressed for their own equaliser in the final half-hour, but managed to see the game out and book a semi-final meeting with co-hosts Australia on Wednesday - the only team to have beaten the Lionesses under Sarina Wiegman.
Colombia went ahead in the 44th minute in a moment of magic from the impressive Santos. She collected the ball near the top-right corner of the area, squaring up to Daly, before sweeping a fine strike into the far corner with a leaping Earps unable to keep it out.
But the Lionesses responded well and equalised with the final kick of the half. Perez raced out to meet Russo's initial strike, but spilled her collection. As she scrambled to keep the ball out, Russo's touch sent the ball underneath the goalkeeper, allowing Hemp to round Perez and slot into an open net.
Colombia fired a warning shot within seconds of the restart - Mayra Ramirez lashing an effort into the side of the net - but the Lionesses again capitalised on another Colombian error to go ahead.
Russo's marker failed to deal with a through ball from Georgia Stanway. The Arsenal forward pulled away, taking the ball wide before lashing home into the bottom corner.
But for the remaining half an hour, Colombia piled on the pressure. Their best chance came in the 71st minute when Earps was forced into an acrobatic, one-handed save to deny Lorena Bedoya's strike from distance.
Manuela Vanegas, Ramirez and Caicedo all blazed over in eight minutes of added time as Colombia harried for a leveller, but England held on to reach a third successive World Cup semi-final.
WHAT ENGLAND MANAGER SAID:
The England manager told ITV Sport after the game: "Again it was a very tough challenge, but we didn't expect anything else. We showed resilience and in the first half, we played pretty good.
"We were too sloppy on the ball and they were really dangerous on the counter-attacks, so we conceded that goal, but we came back before half-time. I actually thought the goalkeeper already had the ball, then I saw it was in the goal.
"[In the] second half we pushed, we found a way to keep that score and win the final duels. I just hoped we would have finished the game off sooner because we could have."
Team news headlines
England made one change from the last-16 game against Nigeria, with the suspended Lauren James replaced by Ella Toone.
Colombia also made one change, with Manuela Vanegas coming back into the XI after suspension for Ana Maria Guzman.
England player ratings
England: Earps (7), Bronze (6), Bright (7), Greenwood (7), Carter (7), Daly (6), Walsh (6), Stanway (7), Toone (6), Hemp (7), Russo (7).
Subs used: Kelly (7), England (n/a).
Hemp praises connection with Russo
What's next?
England will play Australia in the semi-finals of the Women's World Cup. The game will be played on Wednesday August 16 with kick-off at 11am.
What is the schedule?
Spain will play Sweden in the first semi-final will then be played on August 15 in Auckland, with Australia facing England on August 16 at the Accor Stadium in Sydney, which will then host the final on August 20.
A third-place play-off will be played the day before the final on August 19 in Brisbane.
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