England scored twice in three first-half minutes then held on to beat hosts Canada 2-1 on Saturday night and book a spot in the Women’s World Cup semi-finals.

The hosts had been hoping to secure the semi-final spot against defending champions Japan on Canada Day, July 1, in Edmonton but instead it was England who moved into the last four of a World Cup for the first time.

Japan, on their part, needed an 87th-minute goal from substitute Mana Iwabuchi to grind out a 1-0 win over battling Australia.

England coach Mark Sampson paid tribute to the Canadian team and fans.

“I have never been in a stadium as loud, as passionate for their team as that was, they couldn’t have pushed us any further we had to really, really dig deep today to get the result we wanted,” he told reporters.

“They’ve shown a desire I have never seen in an England team before to hang on in there and get us through to the next round.”

Without a men’s or women’s World Cup title since 1966, and exasperated by another failure at the men’s Under-21 European Championships, the ‘Lionesses’ have become the toast of England.

“We’re history makers again, only the third England team to get to a semi-final, we have now joined that 1966 and 1990 club, very, very proud of the whole group,” beamed Sampson.

After conceding just one goal in four matches, Canada surrendered two in three minutes early in the opening half.

England opened the scoring in the 11th minute when Canadian defender Lauren Sesselmann slipped on the ball, leaving Jodie Taylor a clear path to the goal. The English forward made no mistake, whipping a low shot past a diving Erin McLeod.

Three minutes later Lucy Bronze sent a shudder through the capacity 54,027 crowd when her looping header sailed over McLeod’s outstretched hand, deflected off the crossbar and into the net.

Canada pulled one back just before the break when England goalkeeper Karen Bardsley could not handle Ashley Lawrence’s shot and Christine Sinclair, Canada‘s all-time leading scorer, was there to pounce on the loose ball and drive it home.

“We hadn’t written the script to be 2-0 down that early,” said Canada coach John Herdman.

“I’m proud of my girls, they give you everything, it just wasn’t good enough tonight and the dream is over.

“We knew it was going to be a physical contest tonight, you get the English fighting spirit against the Canadian grit.”

Soaking up the energy of the sold-out crowd, Canada pushed forward in the second half but could not unlock England’s defence and test Siobhan Chamberlain, who came on for Bardsley in the 49th minute after the starting goalie had an allergic reaction that caused her eyes to puff up and affect her vision.

Iwabuchi winner

Japan’s Mana Iwabuchi shields the ball in the match against Australia.

At the Commonwealth Stadium, there had been little to choose between Japan and Australia in a match played in humid conditions, although Japan carved out the better chances with Shinobu Ohno going close twice in the first half.

The Matildas closed down Japan’s midfield superbly, not allowing them to find the fast-passing rhythm that has been typical of their displays in the tournament.

The game looked headed for extra-time when the decisive moment came, with a little less than four minutes left.

From a corner, Aussie keeper Lydia Williams saved at the feet of Azusa Iwashimizu, but the defender recovered and slipped the ball to 22-year-old Iwabuchi, who fired into an unguarded goal.