England 1-0 Switzerland (Clinton 8’)
BRAMALL LANE – With a bottle of local-made Henderson’s relish gifted to Sarina Wiegman on the eve of the game (and accompanying orange hat, mug and other merch), Sheffield was determined to make England feel at home. That was where the familiarities ended as a new-look Lionesses wrapped up 2024 with victory over Switzerland.
An almost unrecognisable starting XI had an average age of just 23 years and nine months, perhaps no surprise given Wiegman had vowed to make her players “uncomfortable” and “rotate a lot” ahead of next summer’s European Championship.
Over the past 12 months, they have not always looked like queens of the continent but a young group wasted little time in proving themselves here. Inside eight minutes, Jess Park – the second most experienced starter after Millie Bright, with 12 caps – had placed a set piece onto Millie Turner’s head and Grace Clinton buried the rebound off the woodwork.
At the end of a year posing as many questions as answers, Clinton is one of several with her eye on shaking up Wiegman’s thinking. In a pack which once looked impenetrable, there are now glimmers of light for those who can make an impact between now and next June.
Clinton’s was not the only impressive outing; on debut Ruby Mace showed herself to be an able deputy for Keira Walsh, while Gabby George hinted she is ready for a tilt at Niamh Charles’ left-back spot and likewise Maya Le Tissier on the right. On a rare start, Agnes Beever-Jones caused constant problems with her movement and later combined well in a front two with Alessia Russo.
Park looked lively as she searches for a cutting edge to continue her international breakthrough. In fact that was largely the tale of the tape. England’s cubs were hardly toothless but at times lacked killer instinct, rattling the post again in the dying seconds.
More monumental decisions lie ahead. Returning in goal ahead of Mary Earps, Hannah Hampton made a brilliant fingertip save to keep out Meriame Terchoun and denied Ivan Beney 1v1. After a turbulent year in which Earps won Fifa’s “The Best” award, left Manchester United for Paris Saint-Germain, lost her England place to injury and erratic form and then won it back again, we still do not know Wiegman’s ultimate plan for the No 1 shirt.
If the idea is to keep everyone guessing, the last friendly before the calendar’s turn certainly did that – a promising nod to the future and a statement of depth which England badly needed.
The Swiss could not hurt them, even with a secret weapon in the form of Pia Sundhage on the sidelines. The Swedish coach was the first woman to score a goal at Wembley, back in 1989, but could only watch as her side were kept out by another solid defensive display to follow England’s stalemate against the USA.
Neither the timing nor the location could have been more pertinent. The Euro 2025 draw is less than a fortnight away, while Bramall Lane was the scene of one of the Lionesses’ greatest nights, the triumph over Sweden here two summers ago when Russo’s famous backheel sent them to the 2022 final.
If there is to be more of that to come next summer, Wiegman will have plenty to mull over this Christmas. A more testing 2025 begins with Nations League matches in February; that is when we may get a real insight into England’s chances of retaining their crown.
from Football - inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/mIMENFp
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