England boss Sarina Wiegman conceded she was “disillusioned” after her defending champions might solely handle a 1-1 draw with Sweden to kick off their Euro 2025 qualifying marketing campaign at Wembley.
Alessia Russo nodded residence Lauren James’ supply to open the scoring within the twenty fourth minute, nevertheless it was the guests who regarded likelier to attain as half-time approached.
The Lionesses preserved their lead till the sixty fourth minute, when England’s focus switched off and allowed Fridolina Rolfo to float in and nod substitute Rosa Kafaji’s supply previous Mary Earps.
THANK YOU, @wembleystadium! pic.twitter.com/NzeyeX4Opa
— Lionesses (@Lionesses) April 5, 2024
Wiegman mentioned: “I believe this group is basically robust. In fact I’m disillusioned, as a result of we at all times wish to win.
“I believe we scored an amazing aim, there was momentum within the recreation, we performed properly and we saved the ball a bit longer.
“Second half I believed the aim was actually pointless. They scored as a result of we gave away a throw-in and from that throw-in we weren’t in a position to take out the cross and so they scored from that. That was disappointing.
“As we see Sweden is a really robust opponent. I do assume we might have performed a few issues higher, but in addition confirmed Sweden gave us a tough time in the intervening time.
“We simply wish to study from these video games, we wish to do higher each recreation as different international locations wish to do too. I believe it simply reveals how shut and the way tight our competitors is.”
England have been maybe fortunate that Arsenal’s Stina Blackstenius, who supplied the profitable strike within the Gunners’ League Cup ultimate victory on Sunday, didn’t resolve one other contest this week.
She got here achingly shut when she discovered herself one-on-one with Earps shortly after the equaliser, as an alternative directing her effort simply extensive of the England goalkeeper’s proper submit.
Wiegman made 4 second-half modifications and staged a late rally, however have been unable to search out the crowning glory earlier than the whistle blew on three minutes of added time.
Leah Williamson, who captained the Lionesses to their European triumph at Wembley in 2022, watched everything of the competition from the bench, virtually a 12 months out from her final England look.
The Arsenal defender, who was dominated out of final summer season’s World Cup after rupturing her anterior cruciate ligament, has skilled various setbacks since returning to the Gunners in January.
Wiegman, nevertheless, was fast to verify her determination to bench the 27-year-old had nothing to do with health considerations that plagued Williamson within the build-up to those qualifiers, after she was substituted within the second half of the League Cup ultimate.
She firmly said: “She will not be injured in any other case she wouldn’t have been within the squad, and I’d have advised you that she was injured.”
The England boss additionally disagreed with hypothesis by some pundits that she had prematurely substituted her goalscorer, who was swapped for Chloe Kelly within the 79th minute, explaining: “Alessia performed properly however tactically we needed to vary a few issues. We introduced Lauren Hemp inside. We simply needed one thing a bit bit completely different.”
A powerful shift, @keira_walsh #Lionesses | @weetabix pic.twitter.com/MK4A3gq6go
— Lionesses (@Lionesses) April 5, 2024
The final time these two sides confronted one another was within the semi-finals of Euro 2022, when Russo memorably scored an audacious backheel within the 4-0 victory to earn a nomination for FIFA’s aim of the 12 months.
Friday’s assembly was a a lot nearer affair, with Sweden boss Peter Gerhardsson later revealing he was happy by the way in which his aspect’s plan to close down England midfielder Keira Walsh – who wore the captain’s armband – had labored.
He mentioned: “It’s one level every now, and it’s 5 extra video games. We don’t know what’s going to occur.”
