Sophie Downey was at the Amex tonight. Here’s her report.
Sarina Wiegman speaks to ITV.
We were just not sharp enough. We knew the Czechs were very strong, very compact. We got some chance but were just too short to score a goal. It was a little bit annoying. They were dangerous on the counterattacks, too. We didn’t get it in the back of the net. [On Lucy Bronze] She’s making sure, she always wants to win, she’s always training hard.
[On Lauren James’ debut] She feels comfortable. I think she had a good debut.
Disaster for Scotland and Wales, joy for Ireland. Those World Cup playoffs were sheer drama.
Lucy Bronze, the centurion, speaks to ITV.
I don’t think we were clinical enough, we did have chances to score. We did play well in spells, we are not used to not being clinical. Being European champions we have to win games like that. Maybe the fact that we played the USA on Friday made things a bit different. We played good football, and made a few chances, but it wasn’t our day today. I only wanted to win something with England. Now I have done both. We are obviously going into the World Cup in a good place. In terms of the collective under Sarina we have done well. Ten months to go and we we want to win another trophy.
Ireland have qualified for the Women's World Cup!
Amber Barrett’s goal has done it, the Irish will be there in Australia and New Zealand. Well done to them, so sorry for Scotland, and Wales, who lost to Switzerland. Portugal won, too, but have to go into an intercontinental playoff. But that’s the Irish in a first ever major international tournament. Welcome!
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Full-time: England 0-0 Czech Republic
Ella Toone is set up by Kirby in the last knockings as England pour forward. Lucy Bronze then has to chase back to clear up some danger. A night of frustration closes out with Sweet Caroline, but no celebrations like Wembley on Friday or back in July. The best chance came when Lauren Hemp hit the post. The second goalless draw of the Wiegman regime, but the unbeaten record sustains against an opponent who played very well.
90+2 min: Bronze cuts in, uses her left foot to curl the ball in, but it’s well cleared by more excellent Czech defending.
90 min: There will be four minutes added on. Alex Greenwood has to come out and head away when Szewieczkova, who has been a danger all night, is on the end of a cross.
89 min: The old understanding of Kirby and Mead link up, but the ball is wafted wide of the goal. This has been very frustrating for the England forwards, so used to rattling them in.
88 min: England pushing, pressing for a win. But Greenwood’s corner doesn’t beat the defender at the near post.
86 min: Fran Kirby zings one in but it’s well saved by Lukasova, who has been excellent.
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84 min: The unbeaten run looks likely to continue though is not secured. England have scored in every game but one under Sarina Wiegman, and that record is far less secure.
82 min: Here goes Mead again, and Lukasova makes a fine save. England make a save, on coming the popular Rachel Daley for Stokes. Big cheers greet Daly’s arrival.
81 min: Zach Neeley, an Arsenal fan, gets in touch: “As a club fan, my favorite part of matches like this are when it ends and no one got hurt. Lord bless and protect Beth Mead.”
79 min: Beth Mead concedes a corner and is none too amused by the decision. The Czechs are still dangerous. Well, aside from that corner which goes straight out. Frankly, it was rubbish.
Ireland take the lead against Scotland!
World Cup update: Scotland 0-1 Ireland, a cool finish by Amber Barrett on the counter from an excellent O’Sullivan pass. Ireland going to the World Cup?
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75 min: A lengthy delay there, can England find something in the last 15 minutes. There’s a glimmer for Salmon but again it’s cleared.
73 min: Sadly, Slajsova is being carried off. That’s one of three changes coming for the Czechs.
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70 min: Stokes gets down the left, almost to the byline, but her cross evades everyone. There’s a break in play as Gabriela Slajsova is down, and it looks a nasty one. Nobody around her as she fell to the floor and she is in some distress.
68 min: With the Czechs on the attack, the Lionesses look to the counter, with Salmon to the fore, showing her speed. Lucy Bronze cuts in from the right but there is serious, heavy traffic in the way.
65 min: The Czechs are still dangerous and it needs Ella Toone racing back to clear that danger when a counter takes place. Neither team looks quite so razor sharp in attack.
63 min: Lauren James goes off, though dad Nigel appears to be watching the Chelsea game on his phone. On comes Ebony Salmon, of the Houston Dash, for only her second cap.
60 min: The closest England have yet come. Lauren Hemp’s movement created it and it looked, briefly, as the ball might dip in from her dink. It comes off the post and out. Stokes chases in but the Czechs clear the ball, just about.
59 min: World Cup update: Scotland 0-0 Ireland. Still, but the algorithm suggests Ireland win and go Down Under. While Scotland need to win by three goals to avoid a playoff.
56 min: Beth Mead looked to have escaped, but Lukasova came out well to make a fine block before the Czechs clear their lines.
53 min: A Czech attack, and Necidova takes a potshot from distance. But misses the target.
52 min: Lauren Hemp heads wide, a better chance this time, set up by Lucy Bronze on the overlap. Then Kirby has the ball whipped off her toes. All England now, a test of Czech concentration and energy levels.
50 min: World Cup update: Back underway at Hampden, where it’s Scotland 0-0 Ireland still.
49 min: England start with a real head of steam. Lauren Hemp chases down the second ball and tries to divert the ball back across goal. It loops over and wide.
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47 min: Fran Kirby ghosts in space in typical style and is played into it but can’t bend her shot towards goal. England need to look to those oblique lines to get through this Czech defence.
46 min: Back in Brighton, England go again. Chloe Kelly is off, and on comes Beth Mead to do Beth Mead things.
World Cup update: Scotland 0-0 Ireland at half-time, despite quite a scramble in the last minute in the Scotland goal. All caused by a long throw from Megan Campbell caused utter chaos. The BBC Alba commentator used the word “stramash” to describe it.
Half-time: England 0-0 Czech Republic
A frustrating outing in which the best English play has come from Lauren James but it’s the Czech defence are the dominant force. It’s an interesting task that faces Sarina Wiegman’s team in the second half.
44 min: Chloe Kelly and Lauren James try to link up but again the Czechs are back in big numbers and are finding safety in those numbers. Their goalkeeper is also equal to Greenwood’s corner.
42 min: Russ Bullock gets in touch: “Hi John, just sat here watching the Lionesses v Czech Republic with my daughter and need to settle an argument regarding tonight’s match and in particular, the colour of Mary Earp’s strip. I’ve always understood that the goalkeepers should differentiate themselves from the other players AND the officials but surely her choice of black in tonight’s game contravenes that protocol. Any help in settling the feud would be gratefully received.”
I don’t know the rules but Lev Yashin got away with it.
41 min: Lauren James goes on one of her surges, and the ball skids out to Fran Kirby but again the Czechs are defending deep, in numbers and very well.
37 min: Niamh gets in touch: “Just letting you know wrong Irish Liverpool player, it was actually Megan Campbell (direct from a throw) rather than niamh Fahy who scored. Either way, very stressful to watch as an Ireland fan but #coygig/o.”
Wales lose to Switzerland in the last minute!
35 min: World Cup update: Switzerland 2-1 Wales. So cruel on them. The very last minute of extra time. Fabienne Humm got it, scoring at the near post, and this time VAR will not save the Welsh.
Portugal are also through, beating Iceland 4-1.
Updated
34 min: The Czechs continue to threaten in Brighton, but England go on the counter with Fran Kirby. Lucy Bronze lost the ball by falling over it, but then retained it with both legs clamping down on it. Good skills. It’s not a classic otherwise. A lack of intensity.
30 min: World Cup update: Scotland 0-0 Ireland – Fahey had scored for Ireland, but another VAR incursion and it’s goalless once more.
29 min: World Cup update: Chances at both ends but it’s still Switzerland 0-0 Wales.
27 min: Charles Antaki is in touch: “Sarina Wiegman will probably look happier by the end of the game, but at the moment she seems to have settled into something resembling Judge Dredd’s usual expression.”
She’s not one for resting on the laurels, is she? And her team are not at the races.
26 min: Something of a lull after Friday’s spectacular but then again, the Czechs are playing well, and look very solid indeed.
23 min: Szewieczkova the Czech player is a threat up front and it takes some good tracking back from Greenwood to clear the danger. Up the other end, Lauren Hemp, playing as a striker, cuts in and shoots but can’t beat Lukasova in the Czech goal.
21 min: World Cup update: Portugal 3-1 Iceland. That’s in extra time and they look set for next year.
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19 min: England still scratching for form here. The drama is elsewhere tonight. Kelly tries to play in Toone but she loses her footing as the Czech goalie comes out to challenge.
16 min: World Cup update: Penalty to Scotland! A handball in the Irish area, and VAR will not rule that out. Up steps Caroline Weir, and it’s saved by Courtney Brosnan.
Drama!
15 min: World Cup update: Scotland 0-0 Ireland. The Swiss have just gone very close against the Welsh in the first half of extra time.
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14 min: Chloe Kelly’s corner misses everyone. The ball goes back in and there’s panic. Greenwood tries to find a way through but it’s ram-packed in the Czech area.
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11 min: Stokes’ run set up a chance, the ball coming from the flank. They were queueing up but couldn’t keep possession. Fran Kirby almost escapes but the ball is cleared again.
9 min: The Czechs look to be comfortable here, if not too clever in attack. England look a bit sloppy at times, beyond that Lauren James chance. The passing is a bit loose.
7 min: World Cup update: Portugal are leading Iceland. Still 1-1 between Switzerland and Wales. Penalties beckoning there?
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6 min: Another corner, plenty of pressure being piled on. Nigel James, dad of Lauren, is seen in the stands. His boy Reece is playing in Milan for Chelsea tonight. Nige is a licensed FA coach.
4 min: The corner is cleared but that only sets up an England attack, and off goes Lauren James, beating a couple off defenders in the box, and into the net. That would have been quite the impact from the Chelsea youngster.
3 min: Some early defensive work needed from Millie Bright, who climbs highest to head a Czech cross clear. Chloe Kelly speeds down the wing on the counter, and a corner is won.
1 min: Away we go, and England, playing in red, begin with some neat passing moves. Lauren James has an early dart but the ball doesn’t reach her.
Over in Brighton, the national anthems are done and it’s almost showtime.
World Cup update: Switzerland 1-1 Wales. They go to extra-time, thanks to those two VAR decisions.
Sarina Wiegman spoke to ITV at the Amex.
It’s nothing serious but [Georgia Stanway ]didn’t recover well from Friday’s game. So she hasn’t trained and we don’t want to take any risks. She hardly had any time off after the Euros because of her going to her new club in Germany.
I’ve coached many good players but of course [Lucy Bronze] is one of the best players. It’s going to be a big occasion for her.
We have some differences in the line-up and different combinations of players together. The Czechs are a very physical and direct team, so we expect a tough and physical game, but we still want to dominate the game. We want to be in our half of the pitch and totally dominate.
World Cup update: Switzerland 2-1 Wales. It’s been coming, sadly, and in the 84th minute, with a spinning finish, Bachmann scores again. And Wales look to be heading out. They’ve hardly mounted an attack in the second half so that looks a tall order….but hang on….VAR check….and it’s a lengthy one. It’s been disallowed for an offside call early in the move.
Still 1-1. That’s one of the longest VAR delays you will see. Wales need to find some attacking from somewhere, since VAR is their main weapon at the moment. Lots of boos from the home fans. Bachmann got booked for removing her shirt; that won’t be rescinded.
Three changes for England, by the way, but Lucy Bronze will get her 100th cap but not the captaincy, that’s with Millie Bright. In come Ella Toone, Demi Stokes and Lauren James for Rachel Daly, Georgia Stanway and Beth Mead.
The starting XI: Earps, Bronze, Stokes, Walsh, Bright (capt), Greenwood, Kelly, Toone, Hemp, Kirby, James.
Czech Republic XI: Lukasova, Sonntagova, Bertholdova, Slajsova, Svitkova, Krejcirikova, Cahynova, Szewieczkova, Dubcova, Necidova.
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World Cup update: Amazing scenes, Wales conceded a penalty for a handball, and then the Swiss hit the post, and despite hitting in the rebound, they were offside when they did so. Rachel Rowe handled, and was then booked. Up stepped Ana-Marie Crnogorevic, who hits the post and then converts. As nobody else touched it, that’s been disallowed.
Somehow, it’s still 1-1.
Brighton holds a few memories for the Lionesses. There have been 25,000 tickets issued for tonight’s game with fans able to walk up right until half-time.
Last time in Brighton.
— Lionesses (@Lionesses) October 11, 2022
What did you do when this went in? 🤩 pic.twitter.com/vDHAgZqyH1
Also on tonight, Women’s World Cup qualifiers involving Wales, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland. Wales are playing in Switzerland and it’s 1-1 at half-time, the Swiss having equalised.
A reminder: Wales travel to Switzerland bidding to book their finals place. Victory will not automatically secure a World Cup spot, however, with Scotland hosting the Republic of Ireland and Portugal meeting Iceland and only two of the winning teams qualifying directly on the basis of their qualification records. The country that misses out will go into an inter‑confederation playoff in February.
Complicated, and tense.
The teams
Your starting line-up for tonight!
— Lionesses (@Lionesses) October 11, 2022
Thoughts, #Lionesses fans? 😁 pic.twitter.com/VrQML3HO6t
Do utkání proti Anglii nastoupíme v této sestavě 🏴🇨🇿 #ENGCZE #holkytaky pic.twitter.com/Y4Po6BMg8c
— ženský fotbal (@zenyfotbal) October 11, 2022
Preamble
Welcome. Having seen Team USA and put down a marker to suggest they are definitely maybe the best team in the game, it’s down to Brighton for the Lionesses. Three games are left a brilliant year, and the Czech Republic, who won’t be at next year’s World Cup, are the opponents. It’s a big night of celebration for Lucy Bronze, an all-time great celebrating her 100th cap. The chances of Sarina Wiegman’s unbeaten run ending in East Sussex seem limited. “Magic Sarina” as Bronze called her on Monday. “Magic team,” as Wiegman’s called her charges.
How long can the magic continue? Friday night suggested the Lionesses can go all the way in Australia and New Zealand next year. And while the victory lap for the summer continues, there’s plenty to work on ahead for next August and September.
Kick-off is at 8pm, team news to come. Join me.
