BRAMALL LANE – In England, we like to depict ourselves as a nation of sporting losers. It takes the sting out of the inevitable crushing lows, and even laces them with a little humour. Not this team of Sarina Wiegman’s. They are winners, resolute when second best, and enthralling when they finally click into gear.
It is hard to underestimate just how quickly they have captured the public imagination, from the fanzones of Trafalgar Square to a deafening Sheffield – but Fran Kirby had insisted beforehand that it was not enough. They did not want to be known as another team of feel-gooders and do-gooders who won nothing. After three doses of semi-final heartache, finally, at long last on Sunday under the Wembley arch, England have the chance to put that right.
Nights like this should never be taken for granted, especially when they could have been so different. The clock had not reached 30 seconds when Sofia Jakobsson broke through, one of many occasions when England’s high line would make them sweat. Sweden targeted the space between Lucy Bronze and Millie Bright, Jakobsson had time to get her shot away, and were it not for the legs of Mary Earps Sweden would have broken some hearts.
Just as Spain showed in the last eight, squeeze hard enough and it is possible to cut off England’s blood supply. Magda Eriksson dealt with Beth Mead’s early crosses and Fran Kirby could not quite find the pace on the counter to breach the final third. Hanna Glas’ move to left-back, with Jonna Andersson only fit enough for the bench after Covid, threatened to throw England a curve-ball.
More from Football
This was an occasion that called for the attack behind Ellen White to use their imagination and Kirby, in particular, has it in abundance. Lauren Hemp has not had the tournament many hoped for, but while she is on the pitch her pace will always be a weapon. So it proved as she got her cross away, only for it to evade the stretching boot of White. Bronze was waiting. She had been given an unfortunate taste of Barcelona training next season when she was terrorised in the early stages by future team-mate Fridolina Rolfo, and Wiegman may have been pondering exactly how far she wants her full-backs to progress up the pitch, when Bronze gave it to Mead. The forward’s touch was precise and ended with a shot so well-placed it sent the camera inside the goal flying.
Mead knew exactly what she was doing. Bronze, on the other hand, seemed a little surprised when the ball came to her in the air from a corner and despite yet another ludicrously drawn-out VAR check, she realised she had put England out of sight.
When the history of England’s Euros is written, and it may well be quite soon should all go to plan on Sunday, think of Mary Earps, who may not get her mentions in the introductions but without whom the joy and simplicity of the final minutes would not have been possible. At 2-0, England were sat deep, holding on for dear life when two saves in as many minutes – the second at full stretch – thwarted the danger.
The best was yet to come. If Alessia Russo’s turn against Northern Ireland was sumptuous, then her back-heel to nutmeg goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl would barely have been allowed on before the watershed. Fortunately, the sky had turned black, and the night was all but over from a Swedish perspective.
If anyone deserved to get in on the act, it was Kirby. After everything she has been through, nobody would have blamed her if her speculative effort from distance had gone nowhere, but after an awkward bounce it ended in the net. In truth, Lindahl – and the rest of the country – was still reeling from Russo. England were turning on the style all the way to Wembley.
Player ratings
Earps 9 – Denied Jakobsson inside 30 seconds, stopped Blackstenius with one hand and made two unbelievable saves with England sitting deep at 2-0 up
Bronze 7 – Assisted Mead’s goal and scored England’s second, but had to recover after Sweden had identified the gap between the right-back and Bright as England’s Achilles
Bright 7 – There was a danger she wouldn’t have the pace to cope with England’s high line. Less aerial threats for her to deal with, but made the basic clearances well
Williamson 7 – Lost the ball in a tussle with Kosovare Asllani in the middle but was generally composed
Daly 7 – Could have been targeted after her struggles against Spain, but knew her role and acquitted herself well in her 1-on-1s
Walsh 7.5 – Typically understated and somehow instrumental all in one. The highlight was a superb cross-field ball out to Hemp
Stanway 7.5 – Some huge tackles in the middle and even tried to recreate her wonder strike from the quarters, but waited a moment too long
Kirby 8 – Ex-Chelsea team-mate Hedvig Lindahl nearly got a hand to her long-range effort, but she deserved her goal. Some delightful through balls to Mead
Mead 8.5 – A goal that broke the camera in the goal and she then returned the favour for Bronze. England’s Player of the Tournament strikes again
Hemp 7 – Has attracted criticism in recent weeks, but caused Bjorn and Ilestedt problems and switched well into the middle
White 5 – This system isn’t quite suiting her as she struggled with the pace of England’s balls over the top but couldn’t connect with her headers either
from Football | News and analysis from the Premier League and beyond | iNews https://ift.tt/RcfSzI8
Post a Comment