England seeks recovery after significant defeat
The England Lionesses are preparing to face Ukraine in their final Women’s World Cup qualifier at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Tuesday. This match follows a substantial 4-0 defeat against Spain in Mallorca, a result that saw England miss the opportunity for automatic qualification to next summer’s tournament in Brazil. Spain has now moved ahead in the group standings, holding the sole automatic qualification spot due to their stronger head-to-head record against England.
Unless Spain drops points in their match against Iceland, England is likely to proceed to the play-offs in October, regardless of their performance against Ukraine. Despite this, the team remains focused on their upcoming fixture and maintaining unity. Lauren Hemp commented on the recent loss, stating that “in games like that, you probably learn the most.” She acknowledged the disappointment of the result but emphasised the importance of reviewing the game and moving forward as a cohesive unit.
Hemp highlighted the team’s ability to recover from previous setbacks. She noted, “We’ve shown in the past that when we’ve had results like that, we’ve been able to bounce back and that’s what we plan on doing.” The defeat to Spain marked the largest under coach Sarina Wiegman’s leadership and England’s most significant loss in 17 years, dating back to the 2009 European Championship final against Germany.
Wiegman plans tactical changes for Ukraine match
Sarina Wiegman confirmed that the team has processed the difficult result against Spain and is now looking ahead. She described the loss as a “hit on the chin” but praised the team’s resilience. Wiegman stated, “It felt like a hit on the chin. Then it’s so important to stick together. It’s really easy when things go well that everyone sticks together but, when you have a setback like this, that’s when we show ourselves.” She noted the positive energy in the team during recent training sessions.
Wiegman indicated that she plans to make tactical changes for the match against Ukraine. She explained that these alterations are not merely for rotation but are strategic decisions based on the anticipated challenges of the game. “It is a qualifier still, we want to win the game, but there are some tactical decisions to make because we expect different challenges,” Wiegman said. She added that some players are “knocking on the door” for an opportunity, and she intends to give them playing time.
The full squad is available for selection, with the exception of Manchester City goalkeeper Khiara Keating. Keating had withdrawn before the Spain game due to a concussion and will not be fit to play against Ukraine after further assessments. The team trained at Liverpool Women’s team’s training ground at Melwood on Monday.
Focus on winning amid qualification uncertainty
England and Spain, who previously met in the 2023 World Cup final, were aware that only one team could secure automatic qualification for the 2027 edition from their group. Both teams currently have 12 points from a possible 15, having achieved maximum points in their matches against Iceland and Ukraine so far. With Spain heavily favoured to win against Iceland, England faces a likely path through the play-offs to reach the finals.
Wiegman stressed the importance of securing an early goal against Ukraine, a team that has lost all five of their group matches. “What we can control is our game and it would be really nice for us to get an early goal. That’s what we’re going after,” she affirmed. She emphasised the team’s desire to play well, create chances, score goals, and prevent conceding any. While monitoring the developments in Iceland, Wiegman’s primary focus remains on England’s performance in their own match.
Wiegman acknowledged the unpredictable nature of football, stating, “Everyone will think that Spain will win that game but we have seen so many unexpected scorelines.” She confirmed that England will have someone monitoring the Iceland match live, but this information will not be shared with the players during their game. The focus for the Lionesses is squarely on winning their final qualifier against Ukraine on Tuesday.
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Source: theguardian.com
