Despite what the 26,000 supporters packed into Stadium MK might have anticipated, England were held to a frustrating goalless draw with Portugal in Milton Keynes.
In their final warm-up match on home soil before they jet off to Brisbane for the World Cup this month, the Lionesses hosted Portugal, who are gearing up for their first-ever Women’s World Cup.
Goalkeeper Ines Pereira made a superb, sprawling save inside five minutes to deny Rachel Daly — who was preferred up front to Alessia Russo — a headed opener from Lauren Hemp’s cross. It was a sign of things to come, as England found real difficulty both in creating chances and in finishing them off when they did find openings.
Jess Carter and Esme Morgan formed the centre-back partnership, with captain Leah Williamson out of the tournament due to an ACL injury and Millie Bright expected to be fit for the tournament but still injured. Carter fared well, but Morgan was caught too high up the pitch on occasion, when the visitors found rare moments to run at England.
Russo replaced Daly and Chloe Kelly came on for Ella Toone at the break — and England briefly improved. Kelly was denied by Pereira in the Buckinghamshire sun, and then a litany of chances fell England’s way.
Russo rounded the goalkeeper but was denied on the line by Ana Borges, From the resulting corner, Lucy Bronze nodded against the post, before Russo twice shot wide — both times assisted by Kelly, who was magnificent off the bench and is without question England’s most in-form wide player, heading into the World Cup.
A raft of England changes from Sarina Wiegman gave the match plenty of stoppages it didn’t really need, while failing to make the European champions any more potent than before.
Daly and particularly Russo were guilty of squandering a host of chances, and England fans will fear that April’s rain-dampened 2-0 defeat to Australia at Brentford threatens to become more than a mere blip at the worst possible time.
