Linda Sembrant scored a dramatic 92nd-minute winner for Sweden to break Belgium's hearts and book a semi-final date with hosts England at the European Women's Championship.
The top-ranked side at the tournament struggled to convert their chances into goals until Sembrant struck from close range in the dying moments.
Stina Blackstenius had a goal ruled out for offside before being denied by a fine Nicky Evrard save as Sweden had 33 attempts against the Red Flames.
But Sembrant's goal means Sweden will now face the Lionesses at a sold out Bramall Lane in Sheffield next Tuesday (20:00 BST) for a place in the final.
While Belgium's players looked shattered at the final whistle after going so close to forcing extra time, Sweden's players celebrated wildly in front of their jubilant fans at Leigh Sports Village.
On this evidence, however, Sarina Wiegman's Lionesses will not have too much fear. While Sweden scored five in their previous game against Portugal, they spurned chance after chance before eventually edging through.
The expectation before kick-off was that the Swedes would join Wiegman's side in Sheffield although Sweden boss Peter Gerhardsson was quick to play down any complacency on the eve of the quarter-final.
"We haven't gone through so it's nothing we are thinking about at the moment," Gerhardsson, when asked about England having two more days' rest than their semi-final opponents, said on Thursday after the Lionesses had defeated Spain.
Sweden are former winners of the European Women's ChampionshipOn a damp night in Greater Manchester, the team ranked second in the world were made to work hard by a Belgium side that produced a resilient rearguard display.
Sweden started on the front foot against a team 17 places below them in the world rankings.
Manchester City's Filippa Angeldahl twice went close in the early stages before Blackstenius produced a composed finish after being sent clean through.
Her celebrations, however, were cut short after a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) check ruled she had strayed narrowly offside.
It was not all one-way traffic. Justine Vanhaevermaet, scorer of Belgium's first goal at Euro 2022, went close with a fierce attempt before Sweden eventually got the job done.
Belgium will take the positives
This was hard to take for Belgium, who were appearing at this stage of the tournament for the first time after Tine de Caigny's winner in the excellent win over Italy on Monday.
The Red Flames, watched by Belgium men's boss Roberto Martinez, only led at Euro 2022 for 41 minutes.
But the team ranked 19th in the world depart having progressed further than Norway (11th), Italy (14th), Denmark (15th) and Iceland (17th) who are all above them in Fifa's rankings.
That should provide them with confidence when they entertain Norway in a crucial World Cup qualifier on 2 September.
Their players looked close to tears at the end but they take home positives for the future.
"At this moment it is hard for us," Ives Serneels, Belgium's boss, said. "We must be proud that we were here to play this wonderful game against Sweden.
"It must give us a lot of experience for the future. Now the players know what can happen when you work hard for something."
Player of the match
MissipoKassandra Missipo
Sweden
Squad number20Player nameBennison
Squad number9Player nameAsllani
Squad number3Player nameSembrant
Squad number6Player nameEriksson
Squad number1Player nameLindahl
Squad number16Player nameAngeldahl
Squad number19Player nameRytting Kaneryd
Squad number5Player nameNildén
Squad number13Player nameIlestedt
Squad number14Player nameBjörn
Squad number11Player nameBlackstenius
Squad number18Player nameRolfö
Belgium
Squad number23Player nameMissipo
Squad number1Player nameEvrard
Squad number13Player nameDhont
Squad number10Player nameVanhaevermaet
Squad number2Player namePhiltjens
Squad number9Player nameWullaert
Squad number6Player nameDe Caigny
Squad number16Player nameMinnaert
Squad number20Player nameBiesmans
Squad number11Player nameCayman
Squad number18Player nameDe Neve
Squad number19Player nameKees
Squad number22Player nameDeloose
Line-ups
Sweden
Formation 4-2-3-1
1Lindahl
13Ilestedt3Sembrant6Eriksson5Nildén
16Angeldahl14Björn
19Rytting Kaneryd9Asllani18Rolfö
11Blackstenius
1Lindahl13Ilestedt3Sembrant6Eriksson5Nildén16AngeldahlSubstituted forBennisonat 84'minutes14Björn19Rytting Kaneryd9Asllani18Rolfö11BlacksteniusSubstitutes
8Hurtig10Jakobsson12Falk15Blomqvist17Seger20Bennison21Musovic22Schough23RubenssonBelgium
Formation 4-3-3
1Evrard
22Deloose19Kees18De Neve2Philtjens
10Vanhaevermaet20Biesmans16Minnaert
11Cayman6De Caigny9Wullaert
1Evrard22DelooseSubstituted forDhontat 67'minutes19Kees18De Neve2PhiltjensBooked at 36mins10Vanhaevermaet20BiesmansBooked at 16minsSubstituted forMissipoat 88'minutes16Minnaert11Cayman6De Caigny9WullaertSubstitutes
3Van Kerkhoven4Tysiak5Wijnants7Eurlings8Delacauw12Lemey13Dhont14Vanmechelen15Vangheluwe17Tison21Lichtfus23MissipoLive Text
Match ends, Sweden 1, Belgium Women 0.
Second Half ends, Sweden 1, Belgium Women 0.
Goal! Sweden 1, Belgium Women 0. Linda Sembrant (Sweden) right footed shot from very close range to the high centre of the goal following a corner.
Attempt saved. Nathalie Björn (Sweden) left footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Corner, Sweden. Conceded by Justine Vanhaevermaet.
Attempt missed. Kosovare Asllani (Sweden) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Nathalie Björn.
Substitution, Belgium Women. Kassandra Missipo replaces Julie Biesmans.
Attempt missed. Magdalena Eriksson (Sweden) header from very close range misses to the left. Assisted by Kosovare Asllani with a cross following a corner.
Corner, Sweden. Conceded by Julie Biesmans.
Attempt missed. Fridolina Rolfö (Sweden) left footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the left.
Substitution, Sweden. Hanna Bennison replaces Filippa Angeldahl.
Attempt missed. Elena Dhont (Belgium Women) right footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Justine Vanhaevermaet.
Attempt missed. Linda Sembrant (Sweden) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Nathalie Björn.
Corner, Sweden. Conceded by Janice Cayman.
Attempt blocked. Kosovare Asllani (Sweden) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Fridolina Rolfö.
Attempt missed. Nathalie Björn (Sweden) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left following a corner.
Corner, Sweden. Conceded by Laura De Neve.
Attempt missed. Linda Sembrant (Sweden) left footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is too high following a set piece situation.
Attempt saved. Stina Blackstenius (Sweden) header from very close range is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Linda Sembrant.
Linda Sembrant (Sweden) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
