Thank you so much for joining me for this warm-up match! England had a lot of promise with 22 shots throughout the game but without the clinical finishes they were left frustrated. It was not just their own mistakes preventing them from scoring, some Portuguese defence stalled them – particularly a clearance off the line from Borges. That was England’s last game at home before they travel to Australia for the World Cup. They have one more game ahead of the tournament, against Canada, and then they start their tournament on 22 July against Haiti. To recap all the action from today read the report below, we will catch you soon!
So who is your choice up front for England? I think Daly starts and I would have England as her direct replacement for their match against Canada. Just to give more minutes to England, who scored 12 goals in 12 games for Tottenham after moving from Chelsea. Wiegman knows what she can get from Russo, England has hardly had any minutes under Wiegman.
I was going to try and show you Borges amazing clearance off the line but my Twitter is still not working! Apologies for that, it is definitely worth looking up if you can.
England forward Alessia Russo told ITV: “It was frustrating but there are lots to build on. It is our first game back together, we will definitely have to build on that. Today we had a lot of chances we should have finished but we are finding new connections. come the World Cup we will be ready and firing. It’s competitive for the number nine, Rachel and Beth have had unbelievable seasons. We get to train together every day, it’s nice to learn from them.”
I think Beth England would have been a good introduction to the match, she offers something slightly different to the other forwards. But I don’t know who I would have taken off for her place. England have an embarrassment of riches up front, it’s a selection call I wouldn’t want to make!
She added to ITV: “We start with how we want to play and then we see what the opponent does and what we need to do to exploit their weaknesses. We always start with us. This was the first time we have seen each other since April, then we travel and we will adjust to that and then we have Canada.”
England manager Sarina Wiegman told ITV: “We are disappointed we didn’t score a goal. I think we did a little better in the second half, we played higher and quicker on the pitch. We did have lots of chances. I think we force them deeper, I think we need to do a little better. We could have been up 3-0, they didn’t have a lot of chances. Players need to adapt to each other again. I think Carter and Morgan worked well. I think they were both very calm, they did well in possession too.”
I think Alessia Russo has been named Player of the Match but I think Lauren James or Lauren Hemp deserve it.
Will the result be a cause for concern for Wiegman with her players unable to convert multiple chances? Or will she concentrate more on what different players showed her, such as Stanway’s great deliveries at set piece? Let me know via Twitter or email.
Full-time! England 0-0 Portugal
A great result for Portugal but a frustrating one for England, they had the chances but they could just not convert them in front of a big crowd in Milton Keynes. Some positive highlights from England’s play though came through James, Kelly and Hemp. But the star of the show in this match is Portugal’s defence, particularly Borges’ clearance on the line.
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90 + 4 min: Gomez gets a yellow card for a foul on Russo and England have a free kick, quite far out of goal. England thread the ball through the team but they can’t get it into the box yet.
90 + 2 min: Playing in Portugal’s half, they can’t get an attack together and England win it back. It’s loose though and J Silva almost has a shot away.
90 min: Pereira is down with what I think is cramp but she is receiving treatment here. She grabbed her thigh after kicking a goal kick, I think she is okay to continue. There will be five minutes added.
89 min: England have a late corner and before the set piece is taken the TV coverage goes to shots of Mead and Williamson in the stands watching on. Zelem takes the corner, Bronze runs in but she can’t connect – Pereira takes it out of the air.
87 min: 26,227 the attendance at Stadium MK, will they see a winner?
85 min: Charles’ cross goes straight out. England get the ball in a good position again but their delay on setting up an attack allows the defence to be more organised. It comes to Coombs in the box but her shot is collected by Pereira.
83 min: Robinson showing what she can do with a great run but her pass finds the feet of the Portuguese defenders. It is just not coming off for England today, my 2-0 prediction seems like a distant memory!
82 min: James wins a free kick and Pinto gets a yellow card for her challenge. Ahead of the set piece Portugal bring on Mendes and Alves and England bring on Robinson in place of Hemp. The free kick is taken by Morgan and it comes to Russo in the box but it’s wide again.
80 min: Hemp has a great run, her cross has power in it but Kelly manages to connect. She lays it off to Bronze who can’t connect and then Russo gets a shot away but it is wide. Wiegman was rising to her feet with the chances early in this second half but she is now rooted in her seat.
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78 min: Kelly has an amazing ball in but Russo’s one touch finish has so much power on it and it’s wide. England definitely have time to get a winner here but, as I have said previously, they need to be more clinical.
77 min: The free kick comes in but it is straight at Earps, a wasted chance for the visitors. England tried to counter but Zelem’s pass is loose. Play starting to fragment after a good period for England earlier in this half.
76 min: Charles does well to create a chance down the left, Borges does enough to deflect but England revives the chance. It comes to Charles, whose header is saved by Pereira. Portugal now win a free kick, the action is none stop, after a challenge from Bronze.
74 min: James weaves again but this time Portugal reads the play well to close down the Chelsea star. Morgan sees out the ball at the other end for a goal kick.
73 min: Hemp takes the corner short and Coombs crosses it in with Russo’s attempt at the keeper. I think she would have been ruled offside even if that went in. Hemp crosses it in again but it doesn’t reach anyone in the box, England throwing everything at this but nothing is sticking.
72 min: The corner is deep and England manage to clear it. England are coming forward again now, they need to score soon – Portugal’s confidence of holding the Euro champions will be growing by the second. Hemp wins a corner.
70 min: All the players are okay to continue after some treatment. Oh my word, my heart was in my mouth! Hemp passed back to Earps, it had too much pace on it and almost went in! Jeez! A Potugal corner to come.
68 min: Zelem makes a great pass to Charles, she crosses it in and it comes to Coombs who takes a heavy touch with the chance wasted. Hemp and Norton seem to have clashed with both receiving treatment. Borges is also down. A break in play here.
67 min: Hemp sends it in but it has a bit too much on it, it goes off for an England throw. Charles takes it and they run it through the team. James loses possession in the midfield and Portugal are on the attack. Norton takes a chance but Earps collects.
65 min: England keep piling on the pressure and they win another corner. Before taking it England make changes with Zelem on for Walsh and Stanway is off for Coombs. Will Zelem now take the corners? No she won’t, Hemp will take the corner.
64 min: Stanway takes the corner but Bronze can’t get to it but it is out for another corner. Stanway takes it again but it is cleared.
63 min: Dolores Silva and Diana Silva are off, replacements not confirmed as of yet. England on the attack again and Kelly wins a corner.
62 min: Portugal defending for their lives as James whips another ball in which is cleared. England much better in this second half, the danger is palpable when they are on the front foot now and there is the danger again! Kelly does well to get into the box, she passes to Russo but her shot is wide. Wiegman looks frustrated.
61 min: Stanway takes it and Bronze gets a head to it but it’s off the woodwork! Woah that was so close, England are inching closer.
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60 min: Norton takes it but Earps collects easily. My oh my that is excellent defending on the line from Borges! James plays an excellent ball to Russo and she plays it around Pereira. Russo eventually gets a shot but Borges does amazingly well to clear that. Her teammates surround her with hugs. England corner to come.
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58 min: Pinto makes a fantastic run but her pass into the box is intercepted by Carter. England counter and Russo gets the ball in the box, the crowd scream as she goes down expecting a penalty but it isn’t given. I don’t think it was a penalty. Portugal counter now and J Silva is pulled by Charles but the Chelsea player doesn’t get a yellow – Portugal have a corner though.
56 min: Russo attempts a shot but she clips Borges and the foul goes the way of Portugal. Here come England again though but this time Hemp is offside. Just the clinical edge missing from England’s play today.
55 min: James makes a great run once again and passes to Kelly, her resulting shot is saved by Pereira. There is more excitement in the England attack since those changes were made.
54 min: England have a corner and with Greenwood now off, Stanway will take the corner. She plays it into the box and Hemp comes so close! She leaps with a header but it is just over the bar. That seemed like a secure goal, many will say it should have been the opener.
52 min: Russo makes a great run and lays the ball to Hemp, her shot is blocked well. England get on the front foot quickly again and James, who is in the 10 role now, threads the ball through but it has too much on it.
50 min: Nazareth goes straight back down after play gets underway, she surely isn’t going to be risked ahead of the World Cup. She is limping off here, a substitution surely to come? And there it is, Capeta is on in her place.
48 min: Nazareth played the ball around Walsh and she went to the floor and hasn’t got back to her feet yet. She does now walk off but she is okay to continue.
47 min: England immediately into the box, Hemp crosses in but Pereira collects. With the changes James could take more of a 10 role here. Kelly gets a shot away but it’s soft and caught.
Back underway! England 0-0 Portugal
The second 45 is underway, can England get a goal and win it? Or will Portugal keep up their great defensive work? We will soon find out. Charles, Russo and Kelly will start the second half, early changes for England.
I have received a response on the Portuguese anthem from Joao, he said: “Absolute myth. For one, it wouldn’t work in Portuguese. Cannons is ‘canhōes’ and Britons is ‘britânicos’. The sounds are different and so is the metric. As a second reason, Portugal and England have the longest working alliance in the world (some 650 years old). I don’t see that line in the anthem at all, despite some disagreements of the past.”
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Here’s an argued fun fact for you from Miguel, he sent it in on twitter. He said: “Little nugget of trivia. The Portuguese national anthem, written in 1890 and adopted in 1910, has a line that now says ‘against the cannons, march, march!’. But originally, it said ‘against the Britons, march, march!’” It is argued as Jose has replied and said the fact is a myth – does anyone know if it is fact or myth?
Half-time! England 0-0 Portugal
England have had some chances so far but I think the headline of this match is Portugal’s stoic defence. If their counters can pay off they could be in for an upset here.
45 min: England again patient on their build-up play and it comes to Hemp. She crosses in with multiple options in the box and Stanway gets a shot but it hits the cross bar.
44 min: A great pass comes to Daly and she didn’t have support so took the shot herself but it was easily blocked. Nazareth hits the deck after leaping for the ball and she needs some treatment but is okay to continue.
42 min: So frustrating as Daly is played a great ball but no one is in the box for her to cross to. England do come again but Portugal are just so good at closing them down at the moment. Well I say at the moment but it has been the same all half.
40 min: James is lightning fast! She weaves in and out of players once more, she gets a cross in but Portugal do enough to clear. England come once again and Greenwood takes a long range effort which tests Pereira but it over the bar.
38 min: Greenwood takes the free but it is cleared high up and doesn’t even make the box.
37 min: Dolores Silva was down after a late challenge from James, who gets a talking to from the referee. Silva is up and okay to continue. England get the ball in the box once again but it’s cleared. Bronze is fouled and she wins a free kick in a good position.
36 min: Bronze lays off a great ball to James who lifts it into the box to Hemp, the Manchester City star can’t get to it though as Borges heads away – amazing defensive work. An England corner comes in from Greenwood and Daly attempts a bicycle kick which is way over the bar.
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34 min: D Silva is down and looks in pain after a foul from Hemp, who gives away a free kick for it. Silva is okay to continue. Norton takes it but it is cleared and it comes back in with Carter on the clearance kick.
33 min: Greenwood takes the kick once more and it is a great delivery with Pereira punching away. Stanway gives away possession as she pulls D Silva back and Portugal build slowly.
31 min: England again keeping the ball at the back, threading multiple passes between the defenders and Earps. Greenwood eventually passes to Hemp who places a great ball into the box – it is deflected out for an England corner.
30 min: What a chance! Hemp whips it in but Daly can’t connect. The chances are starting to thread some attack together now and Morgan does really well up the other end to shut down D Silva.
28 min: Hemp wins another England corner but it comes from indecision of where she wanted the ball to be. Greenwood is over the ball again but it is cleared. It comes back to Greenwood but her pass to Toone has too much on it.
26 min: England have more sustained time on the ball but at times it seems they are second guessing their passes. James gets a great ball into Daly but it goes just beyond her, the clinical edge is what England are missing at the moment.
24 min: James gets in a good position and her resulting run and pass wins England a corner. Greenwood takes the kick short to Hemp and it comes to Walsh, her kick has too much on it and that set piece seems a wasted opportunity.
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22 min: The throw is good but England run it back to halfway and Daly is penalised but the referee for handball. Portugal get it up to Silva again, Pinto winning the battle against Greenwood as well at the moment, but England manage to do enough to close the chance down.
20 min: A great ball to Silva sees her in a great position but Carter does well to box her out. England are now on the counter and pressure from Hemp sees Amado put the ball out for a throw.
18 min: Portugal are doing well at swarming the England players, give them too much space and the hosts will run riot. England’s attack is stalling a bit with Bronze unable to cross in, it comes to Toone eventually but her shot is well wide.
16 min: England could read the Portugal goal kick a bit better, Pereira always takes her time and then plays it short but England’s players are anticipating a long shot. James intercepts the ball and pops a ball in with Daly narrowly missing out on a chance!
15 min: Greenwood does really well to close down a chance and clear it upfield. Portugal are showing good signs early on though, they are patient on the ball and have a good counter attack when given the chance.
14 min: Hemp was playing a great ball but was taken out, the referee plays advantage as England still have the ball but it’s cleared. England come again, the goal feels as though it’s coming but we may have to be patient.
12 min: Carter does really well to get back and win the ball with Portugal on the front foot. England retain the ball at the back and are patient before launching another attack.
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10 min: Nazareth takes the kick, it is initially kicked away and then it is out for a goal kick. England counter and James has a great run, weaving in and out of players, but her resulting pass to Bronze has too much on it.
9 min: Silva thought she was through there but Greenwood does well to get back and time a great tackle. The visitors thread another attack together but Toone gives away a free kick – slightly controversial as the Manchester United forward did win the ball.
8 min: Nazareth has a valiant effort at retaining the ball but England swarm her to win it back. England run it through the team but a pass to Greenwood is loose. The hosts get it back once more but play between Bronze and Stanway is a bit scrappy and Portugal clear.
6 min: Again Daly is so close! She gets her head to another ball and Pereira saves once again, the Aston Villa striker is in the mood today!
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5 min: The England band are already in full volume, it’s coming home ringing around. The Lionesses have never won the World Cup and it will be a test of their depth if they win it this summer with the team’s injury list. But these warm-up games will aid with that and England are having the lion share of possession so far. Pereira is forced to make a huge save with Daly with a shot!
4 min: Portugal are forced to go back to their keeper three times and Pereira eventually kicks it long. England get it but Walsh loses possession. The hosts quickly get it back and Hemp is unleashed but Amada has a great tackle to shut her down.
2 min: A steady start for England, a lot of play at the back but Stanway coughs up possession. Portugal now threading some passes together but not real punches thrown early on.
Kick-off! England 0-0 Portugal
Anthems are sung, training jackets are off and the play is underway! Can England give their fans a winning send off ahead of the World Cup? Or will Portugal upset the part? We will soon find out.
Here come the anthems! But first they are paying tribute to Izzy Christiansen and Carly Telford who have both recently retired. We are just a few minutes from kick-off here, England’s final match at home ahead of the World Cup.
The players will be out shortly to this crowd at Stadium MK! How do you see this shaking out? I think I’m going to predict 2-0 to England.
England’s Ella Toone has said ahead of the match: “We definitely do have a target on our backs after the Euros but that’s what we want. We want to win everything. We don’t put pressure on ourselves. We know that we need to go there out and perform and will come up against really good teams. But the main thing is making the nation proud and going out and enjoying ourselves.” Read the full piece:
Have you been keeping up with our transfer tracker? So far 178 deals have been made across five leagues in Europe, the latest seeing Tinja-Riika Korpela moving to Roma on a free transfer from Tottenham. Check out all the updates here:
Sarina Wiegman has spoken ahead of kick-off, first telling ITV about leaving Russo on the bench today: “That was, first of all, a hard decision but she has done so well during the competition. She is in a really good place but as you know, we have other options in that positions.”
And on if Daly could start at the World Cup at nine: “I think she could be but I also think Alessia could be. We have one game to go.”
On what are she is hoping to see today: “I hope to see in the full backline that there is lot of partnership and up front. We want to keep the ball and go forward quickly and we don’t want to concede goals. We have practised some things that I hope to see today.”
And on starting Lauren James: “We have Robinson, Hemp , Kelly and James so they are all really close. We can make a tactical choice so no decision [on who will start at the World Cup] yet.”
As promised here is the Portugal line-up!
Starting XV: Pereira, Amado, Norton, Borges, J Silva, T Pinto, Dolores Silva, C Costa, Diana Silva, Gomes, Nazareth.
Subs: Morais, R Costa, Alves, Rebelo, Marchao, Jacinto, Rute, F Pinto, Seica, Mendes, Capeta, Encarnacao, Correia.
Alessia Russo, who has left Manchester United and is expected to join Arsenal, has spoken about how hard it is being the subject of transfer gossip. “Towards the end of the season it was tough and the summer has been tough,” Russo said. “You don’t like things in the media about you but that’s football and that’s the state of the women’s game. I just turned it off, took a break on holiday and completely switched off with all my friends and family. Coming back into an environment like this is perfect because you’re competing and all your focus is on England.” Read the full piece:
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This game and England’s behind-closed-doors match against Canada will help boss Wiegman determine who will be in the starting team for the World Cup. The manage said: “We’re getting closer [to knowing the starting XI], that’s clear. But we’re still trying out some things. In some positions I don’t know what the starting line-up will be. There’s still competition going on. That’s why we need those two games too, but it could also be the case that it’s not very clear what the starting XI is after those and in the next game we could make another tactical choice and start another player.”
Snack chat is back! If you have read one of my blogs before you will know I like to know what snacks you’re having while watching the game. For me today it is ready salted crisps, what have you got? Let me know via Twitter (when it is back up and running, I know a lot of people are having trouble loading it) or email.
The team news is in! England start Alex Greenwood after her injury with Esme Morgan and Jess Carter picking up a rare start. Alessia Russo starts from the bench with Rachel Daly at number nine.
England starting XI: Earps (C), Bronze, Walsh, Greenwood, James, Stanway, Daly, Toone, Hemp, Morgan, Carter.
Subs: Charles, Hampton, Wubben-Moy, Coombs, Kelly, England, Zelem, Roebuck, Russo, Le Tissier, Staniforth.
Portugal have not released their news, I’ll update you as soon as I know the team!
🏴🆚🇵🇹 Team news... pic.twitter.com/REJET3BKVd
— Lionesses (@Lionesses) July 1, 2023
Preamble
Hello and welcome to England’s last match at home before the World Cup later this month. They take on Portugal in Milton Keynes in one of the last chances for players to demonstrate why they should start at the World Cup.
At the Euros last summer England coach Sarina Wiegman did not change her starting line-up once and so players should be keen to lay down a marker to impress the boss. The Lionesses have never lost to Portugal and so will be aiming to maintain the record. The two teams have faced each other nine times.
There were worries over whether Alex Greenwood would be fit for the game after sustaining an injury in training but she has been given the all clear. Millie Bright and Jordan Nobbs are not available for selection because of injury. Bright, who is captain for the World Cup with Leah Williamson out, said her return from her knee injury is going well.
The team news will be out shortly so stay tuned ahead of kick-off at 3.15pm BST.
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