England marched into their first World Cup semi-final since 1990 after headed goals by Harry Maguire and Dele Alli gave them a deserved 2-0 win over a disappointing Sweden in the quarter-finals.

Maguire opened the scoring in the 30th minute at the Samara Arena and Alli doubled the lead after the break as Gareth Southgate’s young squad continued to defy dampened pre-tournament expectations with another confident display.

For once, it was not Harry Kane who claimed the plaudits as the tournament’s top scorer was kept quiet, but England found another hero at the other end of the pitch as Jordan Pickford produced three superb saves to shut out the workmanlike Swedes.

Hosts Russia or Croatia, who meet later on Saturday and are lower ranked than Gareth Southgate’s side, are all that stands between England and a first World Cup final since they lifted the trophy in 1966.

The killer blow, however, arrived in the 59th minute as Jesse Lingard’s teasing cross into the box met Alli unmarked at the far post to head powerfully past Olsen.

England had not kept a clean sheet in their four previous matches and had Pickford to thank for ensuring they did not concede this time.