Expect the unpredictable seems to be the new mantra for Sarina Wiegman’s side. After a vivacious performance in front of a partisan Adelaide crowd, the Lionesses progressed to the Round of 16 in style with a 6-1 victory over China. A brace from Lauren James and goals from Alessia Russo, Lauren Hemp, Chloe Kelly and Rachel Daly completed the rout. The Chinese pulled a goal back through a controversially awarded penalty that Wang Shuang duly converted.
“I just really want to win. We want to be the best; I want to be the best. That is what motivates me,” England manager Sarina Wiegman says as she sits down to chat to the traveling media on the Sunshine Coast. “What gives me energy is working with a team. We have so many talented players and my job is to get clarity on how we play together… And then it’s to get players connected, because that’s why team sports are so nice. If you get connected, you understand each other really well… that gives me energy.”
With preparations for this summer’s showpiece World Cup gathering steam, there are friendlies taking place around the world over the next few weeks. The OFC U19 Championships are also taking place as well as the Central American + Caribbean Games
With just 50 days until the start of the FIFA Women’s World Cup this summer, Sarina Wiegman has named her 23-player England squad ahead of the trip to Australia. Bethany England returns to the fold, while six players – Esme Morgan, Niamh Charles, Katie Zelem, Laura Coombs, Lauren James and Katie Robinson – will be part of a major tournament for the first time.
England’s U17s progressed to the semi-finals of the European Championships thanks to a comfortable 3-1 victory over Sweden. In front of an enthusiastic crowd at the Tartu Tamme Staadion, Arsenal’s Michelle Agyemang continued her strong scoring form with a brace. Leicester’s Ava Baker added a third to send Mo Marley’s side through to the knockouts with one game to spare.
The second international break of the year is here! We have the Finalissima, Asia Olympic Qualifying, U19 Euro 2023 Qualification and a whole host of friendlies to get through over the next week. The Home Nations and Republic of Ireland are all involved across the age groups so there is plenty to keep an eye on in the next 10 days.
Legacy – it is a word that is bandied around a lot in sport. A buzzword, one used with increasing frequency around the hosting of major tournaments. Its definition is sometimes uncertain and how you measure it unclear.
However, with the government’s landmark announcement this morning that every girl in England will be given equal access to football and school sport, that meaning is finally clear. This is really what legacy looks like!
If there was any doubt about whether England’s form would dip after a prolonged break, it was swiftly put to bed on Thursday night. A 4-0 victory saw Sarina Wiegman’s side sweep past Korea Republic as they mounted their defence of the Arnold Clark Cup. Korea Republic’s manager, Colin Bell, called the Lionesses “the best team in the world at the moment” as goals from Georgia Stanway, Chloe Kelly, Alessia Russo and Lauren James sealed the three points.
The first international break of the year begins on Wednesday 15 February with a variety of tournaments. The final three 2023 World Cup squads will be claimed at the Inter-Continental Play-Offs in New Zealand. Meanwhile, the Arnold Clark Cup, Tournoi de France, Turkish Cup and Cyprus Cup are taking place in Europe while USA will host the SheBelieves Cup and Australia the FFA Cup of Nations.
There’s a lot to look forward to in 2023 in the world of women’s football. Here’s some highlights to keep an eye on.