Spain and Sweden became the first sides to reach the World Cup semi-finals on Friday. The two sides will meet in the last four after Spain beat the Netherlands 2-1 and Sweden overcame Japan by the same margin. Here, the PA news agency takes a look at a tense day of action and what is in store in the remaining two semi-finals. Spanish history A controversial game in Wellington saw Spain reach the last four for the first time. VAR was a main talking point with Esther Gonzalez’s effort for Spain disallowed for offside on review. Referee Stephanie Frappart then overturned her decision to give Netherlands a penalty before VAR intervened again to give Spain a spot-kick for Stefanie van der Gragt’s handball. After all the controversy, teenage winger Salma Paralluelo came off the bench to score Spain’s 111th-minute winner. Super Sweden Sweden outplayed Japan to reach the World Cup semi-finals for the fifth time. Amanda Ilestedt’s close-range finish and Filippa Angeldahl’s penalty put them in full control six minutes into the second half. Japan did mount a late revival with Riko Ueki sending a penalty against the crossbar and fellow substitute Honoka Hayashi firing home three minutes from time. But a Japan equaliser would have been an injustice and Sweden rightfully took their place in the last four once again. First-time winners guaranteed The exit of 2011 World Cup winners Japan means a new name will be carved on the trophy. Four-time winners the United States were also beaten by Sweden in the previous round, while two-time champions Germany failed to make it out of the group stage. Norway, the only other country to win the Women’s World Cup back in 1995, were beaten in the last 16. As well as Spain and Sweden, Australia, France, England and Colombia are still in the hunt for a first World Cup triumph. England – and Becks – expects The Lionesses head into their quarter-final clash against Colombia with the pre-tournament words of former England captain David Beckham ringing in their ears. Forward Alessia Russo revealed how “heartthrob” Beckham had boosted Sarina Wiegman’s squad before their departure for Australia and New Zealand. “He was really nice. It was a pinch-me moment in terms of what women’s sport nowadays has done,” Russo said of the pre-World Cup chat. “It was amazing actually. He has been one of my idols – and heartthrobs – ever since I was a little girl.” Post of the day Quote of the day It was a pinch-me moment in terms of what women’s sport nowadays has done England's Alessia Russo on meeting David Beckham What next? Quarter-final: Australia v France (0800)Quarter-final: England v Colombia (1130) Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Dewi Lake puts injury troubles behind him to lead out Wales at Twickenham Roberto De Zerbi insists Brighton retain their ‘soul’ despite star departures David Moyes: Man City bid for Lucas Paqueta was nowhere near our valuation

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Three wins from 10 games and just 13 goals scored. Rewind almost a month and the Premier League campaign had started in bleak fashion for Chelsea; the critics were loud from some sections over Mauricio Pochettino’s lack of a quick impact, highlighted all the more by Ange Postecoglou doing exactly that a few miles further north. Yet even with a misfiring front line there had occasionally been hints of what this team could be: the beginnings of partnerships, a few players starting to settle, standing out, finding their form. In a team which has been ripped up and effectively started anew over the last year, cohesion between individuals is everything to rebuilding a style and a successful approach. Pochettino has been hampered there, too, by injuries and absences, imbalances and those who arrived before him not reaching the level hoped of them. Now, two matches later and with eight goals scored across them – including four in that chaotic, eternally watchable draw with Man City just prior to the international break – there is not just intangible reason for optimism, but quite clear on-pitch alterations which show Chelsea should be far higher than the 10th place they currently occupy. Nicolas Jackson’s confidence has been boosted by his hat-trick at Tottenham. Raheem Sterling – perhaps the best way of hitting back at being left out continually by England – has been electric, leading Chelsea’s attack by example and producing crucial final-third contributions. And then there’s Cole Palmer, who cost up to £42m and has played only 28 top-flight matches, but who has already forced his way into the Three Lions squad, Pochettino’s best XI and the forefront of Chelsea fans’ minds when considering how they’ll return to the top. Yet the best is unquestionably still ahead and the player who might be Chelsea’s best link, spearhead and quite possibly best player overall has yet to play a single minute – but Christopher Nkunku’s English adventure is about to begin. Quite aside from his fitness and sharpness levels after almost four months on the sidelines, there are a couple of questions about how Pochettino will fit the former RB Leipzig man into his lineup. An all-round attacker, he played everywhere from an offensive midfielder to an in-from-out wide man and a central No 9 in the Bundesliga, while his time with the French national team has also been across the width of the front line. Where he looked at his best was perhaps as a free-roving centre-forward, able to be a box presence but also contribute enormously to the team’s build-up play, but one doesn’t necessarily directly translate to the other given the differences between Leipzig’s at-times chaotic and fully-committed transition attacking play, and Pochettino aiming to give Chelsea’s approach more structure, more consistency, more dominance. Jackson’s purple patch and ability to lead the line could mean that as well as reducing how quickly Nkunku is called upon, he will act best as part of a two-man attack when opposition quality allows. From Pochettino’s current team, that most likely means that one of the midfield triumvirate of Conor Gallagher, Enzo Fernandez or Moises Caicedo is removed from the fold. But if it’s unlikely that happens too often, too soon, then Nkunku’s versatility may quickly make him Chelsea’s biggest tactical weapon as well as possibly their most potent one. His ability to attack from all areas of the final third means the manager can pick and choose how to play him, whether it’s a game for midfield solidity, for Palmer’s impetuous creativity or for Jackson’s constant foraging behind the defensive line. Occasionally it may be a game for all three, of course. But Nkunku’s combination of ball-carrying, ability to pick a pass and propensity for finding the back of the net – with 16 goals he joint-top scored in the Bundesliga last term – means that, once fit, he’ll almost certainly be the man for all solutions, all gameplans, all opponents. Chelsea may find that his return is a timely one. Of course, the team as a whole finding more form and cohesion, and more of the self-belief which comes from these, could itself lead to an upturn in fortunes. But so too might their upcoming fixture list, despite looking relatively tough on the face of things. Newcastle, Brighton, Manchester United and Everton – with only the Seagulls visiting Stamford Bridge in that run – looks a difficult three weeks or so to navigate. But the Magpies will head into Saturday’s game short due to injuries and with just two wins in six, plus a crucial trip to PSG following three days later. Minds, as well as team selections, might not be 100 per cent geared towards the league encounter. Brighton have themselves struggled for fluency of late, with just two wins in 10 dating back to late September, while the less said about consistency and cohesion the better regarding Erik ten Hag’s team this season. There are chances here, then, for Pochettino to pick up not just points but positivity and progression – up the table and with regards to finding his most favoured regular team. Chelsea’s squad and spending alike should insist upon a much higher position in the table. They’ve improved enough in recent weeks to show they’ll certainly start to move up; how quickly Nkunku is integrated and how fast he rediscovers his best level will almost certainly dictate just how much higher they go. Read More Mauricio Pochettino provides Chelsea injury update on Christopher Nkunku Is Chelsea vs Paris FC on TV? Channel, time and how to watch Women’s Champions League Premier League clubs set for fresh split ahead of crunch meeting What Everton ruling means for the Premier League, Man City and Chelsea Chelsea ‘robbed’ by ‘embarrassing’ referee in Real Madrid draw, fumes Emma Hayes Cole Palmer: ‘The most annoying thing about moving down south? The traffic’

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