Aluko scored a wonder-goal to put England 3-1 ahead

Eniola Aluko scored twice as England women beat hosts Finland to advance to the semi-finals of Euro 2009.

Aluko gave England the lead, slotting the ball between the legs of Tinja-Riikka Korpela in the Finland goal.

Fara Williams stabbed home to make it 2-0, before Annica Sjolund pulled one back after a goalmouth melee.

Aluko made it 3-1 courtesy of a mazy dribble and a lashed finish, and a late Linda Sallstrom header proved too little, too late for the Finns.

Hope Powell's side will now play the Netherlands, who beat France in a penalty shoot-out, in Tampere at 1700 BST on Sunday.

Faye White will probably need an X-ray on her cheekbone, it's too early to say if she will be available for the semi-final England coach Hope Powell

The last time England reached the semi-finals was in 1995, when they were beaten 6-2 by eventual champions Germany.

Powell said: "It was scary and very tense at the end. I was looking at the clock and it seemed to stand still for 20 minutes.

"You have to give Finland a lot of credit. They played to their strengths - corners and long balls - and it was a real dog-fight.

"You have not seen us at our best today but what we have seen in this tournament is guts, grit and fight and if we can't play our game but we win through grit and guts I will take that every time.

"But hopefully we still have two games left. We want to be here to the end."

Laura Osterberg Kalmari had just shot fractionally wide when England took the lead with a well-crafted move on 15 minutes, Williams passing into the path of Aluko, who calmly slotted under Korpela.

England captain Faye White went off after 35 minutes after being struck in the face, before Finland's Jessica Julin came close from a corner.

England doubled their advantage shortly after the restart, Sue Smith's free-kick eventually parried into the path of Williams by Korpela and the England midfielder prodding home.

Finland found a second wind when Sjolund bundled in a corner, but Aluko hit back with a wonder goal immediately from the restart.

Aluko carried the ball from just inside Finland's half and slalomed past three defenders before firing home.

Sallstrom nodded home after another corner in the 79th minute to give the fans in Turku hope, and two minutes later Rachel Brown saved well from Osterberg Kalmari, but England hung on.

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