England Women have their eyes set on lifting their first ever World Cup trophy after last summer’s victorious Euros campaign which changed the trajectory of women’s football in the country forever.
It will be a hard task as the USA are looking to become to first ever team to win three successive World Cups.
The furthest England have ever gone was in 2019 after finishing third.
Yet after tasting victory at Wembley, Sarina Wiegman’s side will be of the belief that they can go on to lift more silverware.
“In Australia, I hope that we have a big English fanbase there and that the Australians who are not watching Australia are cheering for England,” Wiegman said.
England fixtures (Group D)
Saturday 22 July
- England v Haiti, 10.30am (ITV or ITVX)
Friday 28 July
- England v Denmark, 9.30am (BBC or iPlayer)
Tuesday 1 August
- China v England, 12pm (ITV or ITVX)
Monday 7 August
If England progress to the knockout stages, they will play one of the following matches. TV details TBC.
- Winners of Group B vs runners-up of Group D (11.30am)
- Winners of Group D vs runners-up of Group B (8.30am)
This tournament will definitely be a test as the Lionesses will be without several key players, including captain Leah Williamson and her Arsenal teammate Beth Mead, who both tore their anterior cruciate ligaments (ACLs) last season.
Fran Kirby also joined the list of absentees after confirming she will undergo knee surgery.
In fact, England will look very different to the side that won the Euros, not least because Ellen White and Jill Scott have also retired.
Scott only played a bit-part role at the Euros, with the midfield largely consisting of Georgia Stanway, Ella Toone and Keira Walsh. Replacing White has proved tough, with Rachel Daly, Alessia Russo and Beth England all battling for a spot at centre-forward.
Fans will be hoping new Arsenal signing Russo will deliver, just as she did last summer when she took England to the final with a splendid backheel finish against Sweden in the semi-final.
Since then, she continued to star with 10 goals for Manchester United as they finished as runners- up to Chelsea in the Women’s Super League in 2022-23.
from Football - inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/slyI0C7
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