England out to end Dutch run

England will have the form book on their side when they face the Netherlands in Tampere on Sunday in the first of the semi-finals at UEFA WOMEN'S EURO 2009™.

• England made a stuttering start when, playing most the game with ten players after Casey Stoney's dismissal, they took the lead but lost 2-1 to Italy. It was the other way round when they recovered from a two-goal deficit to beat Russia 3-2, all the scoring in the first half with Kelly Smith's winner coming from the centre circle. A 1-1 draw against Sweden took England through from Group C as one of the two best third-placed teams.

• England booked their place in the semi-finals with a thrilling 3-2 victory over host nation Finland at Turku. Eniola Aluko and Fara Williams gave England a 2-0 lead before Annica Sjölund pulled one back for the Finns, only for the ensuing kick-off to witness a superb solo run and finish by Aluko to restore England's two-goal advantage. Linda Sällström's 79th minute strike for Finland ensured a tense finale before Hope Powell's side sealed their place in the last four.

• The Netherlands are appearing the final tournament for the first time and made a fine start, beating Ukraine 2-0 in Turku after Kirsten van de Ven and Karin Stevens scored in the first nine minutes. They then lost 2-1to Finland at Helsinki's Olympic Stadium despite Van de Ven equalising with a solo effort but, only needing a draw against Denmark, Vera Pauw's side won 2-1 with goals from Sylvia Smit and Manon Melis securing second place in Group A behind the hosts.

• The Dutch qualified for the last four with a 5-4 victory over France on penalties, their shoot-out following 120 minutes of goalless football in Tampere. Anouk Hoogendijk converted the decisive spot-kick, the first to be scored after a run of five misses between the two sides.

• Pauw said after the victory over France that their place in the semi-finals meant the players would now get a salary from the Dutch government, enabling them to become professionals for the next two years – effectively until the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup in Germany. Pauw declared: "That's tremendous, and it means we can train more."

• England and the Netherlands have met before 14 times, from England's 1-0 victory at Reading on 9 November, 1973 to their defeat by the same scoreline in another friendly at Swindon on 14 March 2007. In total, England have won nine matches and the Netherlands three, with two finishing as 0-0 draw. Only six of those matches have been competitive games – all FIFA Women's World Cup qualifiers – with England winning four and drawing one.

• England won both of their most recent competitive encounters, in 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup qualifying, with Williams converting a second-half penalty to secure a 1-0 win on 17 November 2005 at Zwolle and a Kelly Smith hat-trick steering the hosts to a 4-0 victory at The Valley in southeast London on 31 August 2006, Rachel Yankey adding to the scoresheet. After that game, Dutch coach Vera Pauw described Smith as the best women's player in the world.

• Striker Manon Melis, who will lead the Dutch attack on Sunday, scored the winner in the 14 March 2007 encounter at Swindon, steering the ball past the England goalkeeper at these finals, Rachel Brown.

• If England midfielder Williams or Netherlands trio Petra Hogewoning, Daphne Koster or Karin Stevens are booked they would miss the final.

• The winners will play Germany or Norway in the final at Helsinki's Olympic Stadium on Thursday at 18.00CET (19.00 local time).