England 0-0 Portugal
STADIUM:MK – It would be unfair to say that the Lionesses head to the World Cup with more questions than answers but Sarina Wiegman has certainly been given more pause for thought than in the early part of her reign.
At last summer’s Euros, Wiegman stuck with the same starting XI throughout the tournament. When her side travel to Australia and New Zealand in a few short weeks, they will go with less clarity over what their attack will look like after signing off for the tournament with a goalless draw against Portugal.
Rachel Daly was handed a rare start at centre-forward in Milton Keynes and lasted 45 minutes before ordinary service resumed, Alessia Russo introduced at half time as one of three changes in the hope of breaking down a Portugal side set on frustrating England.
This, they will have to get used to. It is not likely to be a problem for their opener in Brisbane on 22 July, when they will play Haiti – the nation ranked 53rd in the world by Fifa. Denmark and China, on the other hand, will learn much from how Portugal, and Australia before them in England’s only defeat under Wiegman, sat deep and hoped to exploit England’s high line on the break. Tatiana Pinto very nearly succeeded.
It might all have felt different had Daly converted her better chances. The first, created by Lauren Hemp, Daly got her head to but it was scrambled away from the bottom corner by Portugal goalkeeper Ines Pereira. For the latter, a piping hot ball fired across goal from the right, she could not quite connect. Another overhead kick was blazed well over.
Daly won the Women’s Super League Golden Boot playing up front for Aston Villa and it would have been perverse of Wiegman not to have changed her position for England too, but once Russo came on she delivered another showing of why she is likely to keep her place as preferred No 9.
Only a goalline clearance from Ana Borges denied Russo when she had rounded the ‘keeper and she was unfortunate to drag another effort wide. Bronze had just hit the woodwork with a header and England had come alive.
The Russo vs Daly debate (and Beth England, who was an unused substitute, can also be thrown into the mix) is not simply a question of who scores the most goals at domestic level but how much England look like scoring when they are on the pitch. Russo, who is without a club after leaving Manchester United and awaiting confirmation of a move to Arsenal, does not know what her future will be but will have done her wage negotiations no harm here and came close to an injury time winner that required a late block.
Most of England’s best creative work had come from the left, with a notable exception. Georgia Stanway’s nutmeg was graceful and what followed was arguably even better as she wriggled past two more women in red. Lauren James was set away to make up the hard yards, and it only came to nothing when the ball to a marauding Lucy Bronze was overhit.
Even when Chloe Kelly was brought on, James remained. That may tell us something about Wiegman’s keenness for James to start whatever the make-up of the front three, though it would be unwise to read too much into her selections here.
Alex Greenwood was deployed at left-back with Esme Morgan and Jess Carter making up the centre-backs ahead of Lotte Wubben-Moy. That was largely a result of Millie Bright’s absence and the captain is expected to be back to full fitness in time for the World Cup. Carter’s pace was an asset and Greenwood’s finest moment came via a two-footed challenge to halt Jessica Silva – Portugal’s biggest threat – in her tracks.
Preparations for this World Cup have been far from ideal. Greenwood herself overcame a minor injury scare last week and with Beth Mead, Leah Williamson and Fran Kirby all ruled out Wiegman has had to contend with an unhappy domino effect whereby only her midfield three are settled – even if Ella Toone was relatively anonymous here.
England were expected to win; Portugal have qualified for the World Cup yet they were only in last year’s Euros because they replaced disqualified Russia. Still, the Lionesses might have headed Down Under in crisis given the hands they have been dealt – instead they look in reasonable, if not world-beating, shape.
from Football - inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/AVNdOPi
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