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Key occasions
Objective! 21 min: England 1-0 Belgium (Bronze)
James floats a cross over, and Bronze is there to divert a header into the online, which I feel goes in off Amber Tysiak’s hand.
20 min: A good set-piece routine for Belgium with a ball whipped to the again stick. However it’s out for a aim kick.
Fast as a flash England are down the opposite finish … Mead manages to stab a cross in the direction of the penalty spot, the place Russo smacks an outstanding shot in opposition to the close to publish!
18 min: Clinton ghosts away from Vanhaevermaet with a beautiful flip near the sting of the guests’ penalty space. The Belgium midfielder isn’t having it, although, and yanks her opponent’s shirt. It’s a free-kick and a yellow card for Vanhaevermaet.
Lauren James clips a pleasant swerving free-kick which is near the highest nook however by no means seems prone to dip in time to hit the goal.
16 min: Mead bursts down the proper and crosses, the Belgian defence trying disorganised. It’s a very good cross and Niamh Charles hits a shot from the sting of the world that’s blocked.
14 min: Davina Philtjens goes in with studs exhibiting on Grace Clinton in midfield. That appears a painful one. It’s a free-kick and Clinton is fortunately OK.
12 min: One other nook! This one’s for Belgium although. Cayman floats it in from the Belgium left, however England clear their traces.
9 min: One other England nook. Mead drills it in the direction of the far publish. Millie Vibrant holds her head in her palms after failing to attach.
8 min: Bronze and Russo attempt a one-two on the England proper. Bronze runs to the byline. Vanhaevermaet coughs up a nook beneath stress from the Chelsea right-back. In order that’s 4 England corners within the first 9 minutes and 5 in complete … what’s the world file? From the set-piece, Bronze glances a header goalwards however it’s huge.
7 min: As Wiegman predicted and as you’ll anticipate, Belgium are sitting deep in defence and welcoming England to attempt to play by means of them. This will probably be an evening requiring a little bit of creativity in midfield and up high to discover a approach by means of.
6 min: Now England construct down their left wing. Russo chases a ball in the direction of the nook however the guests handle to clear the hazard.
4 min: Now Belgium win a nook of their very own which is handled effectively by the English again line after it’s hit to the close to publish.
2 min: England threaten instantly. They win two corners shortly… no, three corners. The Belgians are working exhausting in defence already. Lauren James bends a very good ball in from the third set-piece and it curls simply huge of the far publish. Wiegman is animated already on the bench.
First half kick-off!
Right here we go.
England’s gamers put on black armbands tonight after the tragic loss of life of Poppy Atkinson final month, a 10-year-old footballer and Lionesses fan who was struck by a automotive on a pitch in Kendal.
The groups are out on the Ashton Gate pitch. And the packed home is being handled to come back pyrotechnics earlier than the anthems.
“There was a variety of pondering,” Wiegman tells ITV of the choice to exchange Park with Mead within the beginning lineup. “As a result of I feel we now have many alternatives in that place … we anticipate Belgium to drop deep. I feel they each can play there … we made the choice to begin Beth.
“It’s actually disappointing [that Chloe Kelly has dropped out of the squad with a foot injury]. “She was in an excellent place, pleased, and in coaching she did properly. So sadly Tuesday will probably be too early, too. So now she continues at her membership.
“I hope we’re seeing a extra ruthless edge. Not solely Alessia [Russo] however I feel the entire staff. We wish to play properly, have the ball, create probabilities and rating targets. Tonight I anticipate that to be powerful, as a result of they defend very shut to one another, deep, they usually play bodily too. We have to do it collectively. And hopefully we are able to “present” and do properly.”
What’s Jess Park’s greatest place for England, she is requested in a pre-recorded interview on ITV.
“That’s a tough query. I’d wish to say midfield I feel …
“The win in opposition to Spain was my greatest second for England. It was an incredible second.”
And for those who’d advised her, a while in the past, that she’d be scoring a winner for England in opposition to the world champions at Wembley?
“I wouldn’t have believed it.”
“They needed to cling in there, they needed to present some high quality,” the ITV pundit Ian Wright says of February’s win over Spain. “I preferred it as a result of it was the sort of efficiency I’ve seen England do in tournaments, and go very far.”
“You wish to present the remainder of Europe that you simply imply enterprise, we’ve attacked 2025, and we’re coming for our trophy,” Karen Carney provides.
“Like Wrighty mentioned, it’s that event mentality beginning to kick in.”
Biiiig Belgium-themed soccer information from immediately:
Be happy to electronic mail me together with your hopes and expectations.
Tom Garry
Leah Williamson has praised the type of Alessia Russo earlier than England’s No 9 spearheads the Lionesses’ assault of their Girls’s Nations League double-header in opposition to Belgium, beginning in Bristol on Friday.
Arsenal’s Russo has scored 14 targets in her previous 21 video games for membership and nation, together with two in final week’s Champions League second-leg comeback win over Actual Madrid. Her clubmate, the England captain Williamson, praised Russo’s character, saying at St George’s Park on Thursday: “Everybody will at all times say how good an individual Alessia is and everybody needs to see her do properly for that motive. However to be a No 9 you do should have that kind of – not vanity – however confidence about you.
Kelly dominated out by foot harm
Chloe Kelly has been dominated out of England’s Girls’s Nations League video games in opposition to Belgium with a foot harm.
Kelly – who joined the Gunners on mortgage from Manchester Metropolis on switch deadline day – was already confirmed as an absentee from Friday evening’s League A3 fixture in Bristol, however will now play no additional half within the Lionesses’ camp.
An FA assertion learn: “Chloe Kelly has returned to Arsenal for remedy on a foot harm and won’t take part within the forthcoming Uefa Girls’s Nations League fixtures in opposition to Belgium.
“Yesterday Sarina Wiegman confirmed Kelly’s withdrawal from tonight’s fixture and following additional evaluation it has now been determined that she is going to return to her membership to help her rehabilitation.” The Lionesses will journey to Leuven for the return fixture in opposition to Belgium on April 8. (PA Media)
Groups information
Sarina Wiegman makes one change from the England facet that beat Spain in February, with Beth Mead coming in for Jess Park. For Belgium, who’ve a brand new coach within the type of Elisabet Gunnarsdottir, the headline is that Tessa Wullaert of Inter Milan misses out with an ankle harm.
England (4-3-3): Hampton, Bronze, Williamson (capt.), Vibrant, Charles; Clinton, Walsh, Toone; Mead, Russo, James. Substitutes: Morgan, Earps, Le Tissier, Carter, Park, Parker, Beever-Jones, Parris, Moorhouse, Symonds.
Belgium (3-5-2): Evrard; Tysiak, Iliano, Cayman; Janssens, Teulings, Vanhaevermaet, Philtjens, Missipo; Toloba, Eurlings. Substitutes: Bastiaen, Blom, De Caigny, Delacauw, Deloose, Detruyter, Dhont, Elyn, Lichtfus, Mathys, Van Kerkhoven, Wijnants.
Referee: Marta Huerta De Aza (Esp)
Preamble
In three months and sooner or later, the Lionesses will start their European Championship defence in opposition to France in Zurich. Between at times Sarina Wiegman’s facet have two matches in opposition to Belgium – residence tonight and away on Tuesday – earlier than a Wembley date with Portugal subsequent month, and a visit away to Spain in June.
This Girls’s Nations League, for England, is partly about preparation for the summer time’s Euros and partly about positioning themselves properly for the World Cup 2027 qualifying draw.
February’s 1-0 win in opposition to Spain noticed the reigning European champions produce a suitably “English” efficiency to get the higher of the world champions: Portugal host Spain in tonight’s different fixture in League A, Group A3.
England and Portugal are joint-top with 4 factors from two matches apiece. Play their playing cards proper and Wiegman’s facet could possibly be high of the pile in a number of hours. Let’s go!
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