Suzanne Wrack was at Wembley. Her report has landed, and here it is. Thanks for reading this MBM. Nighty night.
Emma Hayes speaks to ITV. “When you have to play England, after their defeat to Germany, we knew there would be a reaction to that performance … we kept the crowd quiet … we controlled the game … I got the chance to see younger players, less experienced players … we’re building towards something … I’m super proud the way we imposed ourselves … it was just the last part of the pitch … when you lose the quality by not having the Triple Espresso here … generally I’m pleased with the performance … the number of entries into the final third was us more than them … we’re in a developmental stage … I’m so proud … two years ago I remember watching the USA here and it was a very transitional game … we handled the hostile moments … I’m a proud English woman who is proud to coach America … I don’t have to choose, I love both countries.”
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Mary Earps talks to ITV. “It was tough … we were hard to beat … resolute … sometimes you have to griund it out … obviously things we have to improve on but nil-nil is OK … it’s been a tough year … we know what we can do as a group … friendlies are the perfect time to experiment … nil-nil against the Olympic champions is no small thing … but we want to be winning games like this.”
Sarina Wiegman speaks to ITV. “Very intense game at the very highest level … we played more maturely than we did the last time here at Wembley [against Germany] … as a team we defended really well … second half we could create some moments … I would like to have some more … the final pass, we lost it too quick … second half we did that better … a lot to learn … lots of information … exciting game … I hope everyone here liked it too … we are trying out things … as a team we did really well … tactically the team was really connected … we are learning things … this shows where we are at … we need to keep improving … this is November but the second of July the tournament starts … this is good but we want to be better again.”
USA were the better team in the first half. They were the better team in the second, too, though England came into the game more as an attacking force after the break. Both sides were blunt up front, the US perhaps unsurprisingly so given their entire first-choice front line – the Triple Espresso of Sophia Smith, Trinity Rodman and Mallory Swanson – were missing. But Sarina Wiegman, who embraced her friend Emma Hayes warmly on the full-time whistle, will take heart from that performance when it’s viewed in the round. Having shipped four goals against Germany and given up a plethora of chances against South Africa, the Lionesses were much improved defensively, and that’s something to build on as they head into major-championship year and the defence of their European crown. More positives than not, though they still need to cut out those careless errors at the back.
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FULL TIME: England 0-0 USA
It wasn’t a classic. But after a couple of below-par performances, England will take it against the best team in the world.
90 min +4: Williamson clears it. That should be that.
90 min +3: USA pass it around the back patiently. Then Kelly unceremoniously barges Krueger off the pitch, and earns herself a late yellow card. A free kick on the halfway line, and one last chance to pump the ball into the England box.
90 min +2: Ryan’s spectacular crossfield ball finds Lavelle on the right touchline, but Lavelle can’t do anything with it.
90 min +1: The first of four additional minutes passes without incident.
90 min: Kelly turns on the jets and takes on Krueger in a footrace down the right. She wins a corner, and England take it short. Kirby reaches the byline but her cutback is no good.
89 min: The tension is palpable, both teams suddenly forgetting how to retain possession.
87 min: The US captain Horan is replaced by the 20-year-old debutant Sentnor.
86 min: Fox waltzes past Russo on the right to reach the byline. She pulls back into the six-yard box, but there’s nobody in blue to take advantage. Earps grasps the ball. The USA seriously going for it here.
85 min: More space for Lavelle down the right. No pace on her cross, though, and Horan can’t attack it.
84 min: Bronze is caught snoozing by Ryan, who tears off down the right. Earps flops on her low cross. England have defended well tonight, yet there have still been several careless lapses that could have proved costly.
83 min: The corner’s nothing to write home about. England just about holding on here.
82 min: Albert steals the ball off Walsh, then sends Lavelle bombing into the box from the right. Her cross looks for Horan, but Williamson is again on hand to turn out for a corner. Coffey to take this one from the left.
80 min: England fail to deal with the corner, only half-clearing it to Girma, who loops into the mixer. Williamson slashes out for another corner, which is played back up the right flank to Fox, who looks for Horan with a long diagonal. Earps comes racing off her line to claim confidently.
79 min: Lavelle drives into space down the middle and sends Shaw away on the right. Shaw earns a corner. The USA turning up the heat again.
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78 min: Horan and Shaw clip a couple of cute passes down the inside-left channel to release Lavelle into the box. Lavelle telescopes a leg in the hope of diverting the ball across Earps and into the bottom right, but Greenwood comes across to block, just in time. Earps snaffles the loose ball. That was a lovely move by the USA, with some staunch defence in response.
76 min: Mead advances down the left and hits a cross meant for Russo. Instead, it nearly sneaks into the bottom right. Naeher scrambles across in a panic but the ball sails out for a goal kick.
75 min: England respond to that double change with one of their own. A double change, that is. Kirby and Kelly come on for Park and Naz.
73 min: Thompson and Williams are replaced by Shaw and Albert. Horan moves up into the attack, the US having now replaced their entire starting front line.
72 min: Williamson tries to find Russo with a shovelled pass down the inside-left channel, but overcooks the pass, which sails out of play for a goal kick. “Should the ref let Ryan take the shot off the rebound before blowing for the penalty in case it’s overturned?” wonders Zach Neeley, who may have a point. The decision, wrong though it was, effectively denied the USA another shooting chance.
70 min: Horan strides down the middle and has options either side. She clatters the ball into the nearest white shirt. The USA captain’s radar has been off this evening.
68 min: A relieved England go on the attack. Russo dribbles hard down the right and looks for Bronze in the middle. The ball clanks out for a goal kick.
VAR: no penalty
67 min: Eventually justice is done. The referee changes her mind. No idea why it took so long to overturn. Stanway will take a breath of relief, because that was yet another careless mistake that could have been extremely costly.
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66 min: VAR sends the referee over to the monitor. Surely this is clear cut? No penalty, surely? The referee takes a long, long, long look. All very strange.
65 min: … but VAR will take a look at this, because that shot surely hit Greenwood on the chest, rather than the arm.
Penalty to USA!
64 min: Stanway dithers and is robbed by Coffey. Ryan shoots. Greenwood chests down. Ryan prepares to have another go, but the referee points to the spot!
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63 min: Bronze’s loose pass in the middle of the park is snaffled by Horan, who should send Williams clear on goal, but overcooks the attempted assist. England just can’t break their recent habit of offering careless gifts.
62 min: … however England refuse to let it lie, and Russo goes on a barrelling run down the middle. She nearly bursts clear, too, but a combination of Girma and Krueger is too much in the end.
61 min: Mead crosses from a deep position on the left. Bronze fights in the hope of winning a header but Girma calmly deals with the situation. The USA then take a moment to take it down a notch with some sterile passing around the back.
59 min: Bronze strides down the right and whips a low cross through the six-yard box. Fox struggles to clear it. Russo attempts to make space to shoot on the left-hand corner of the box, but can’t turn quickly enough. USA clear, but all of a sudden it’s England asking the questions!
58 min: That was the best – let’s face it, only - period of sustained pressure from England. Much better, and it’s got the crowd going again. It’s also forced Williams into agriculturally booting a clearance upfield. All of which will give the hosts heart.
57 min: … but that was better from England, and they come again, Stanway picking up possession on the right and steaming infield before aiming for the top left. A pearler that looks like heading for the corner … but it’s deflected out for a corner, and nothing comes of the set piece.
55 min: … so after all that, Stanway slips Park into space down the right. Park crosses long. Russo waits to head goalwards at the far post, but Fox is wise to the situation and turns the ball out for a corner. Williamson sends a weak header straight at Naeher, who looks to bowl the ball out immediately, only to be checked by Russo. Again the referee decides against booking an England player for a fairly cynical foul. Naeher not best pleased.
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54 min: … and so should Ryan, who races into the England box down the right. She’s one on one with Earps, but tries to tee up Horan in the middle instead of going for goal herself. That allows Williamson to divert the ball out for a corner, from which nothing happens. USA should be leading by now.
53 min: Horan enters the English box and fizzes a low diagonal shot across Earps and wide of the bottom-left corner. The USA captain hollers in frustration; she should have hit the target.
52 min: Sonnett wedges down the right for Williams, who can’t quite find Thompson in the middle. A sense that a US goal could be in the post.
50 min: Ryan hasn’t taken long to make her mark, and now she zips down the right, sending in a dangerous cross that Earps has to parry away from the lurking Thompson and Horan. Signs that Emma Hayes may have given her team the what-for during the break.
49 min: USA have the ball in the net. Ryan spins into space down the middle and dinks a ball into the box for Lavelle, who opens her body and aims for the right-hand side of the net. Lavelle gets it all wrong, the ball heading miles wide, but Horan sticks out a leg to divert it into the net. However Horan was clearly offside and the flag immediately goes up.
47 min: Fox strips Mead of possession and begins to dribble down the right. She’s nudged from behind by Mead, who is extremely fortunate not to go into the book. But it is a free kick, and a chance for the USA to load the English box. Coffey hits it diagonally but Girma can’t connect on the edge of the six-yard box. England clear.
USA get the second half underway. They’ve replaced Sears with Ryan.
Half-time post-election postbag. “There may be future trade barriers put in place by the next administration but we love the gift of Emma from the UK to the USA. We are so grateful, but you should have never let her go, what a gem!” – Mary Waltz
“We need some Chloe Kelly” – Peter Gartner
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HALF TIME: England 0-0 USA
The USA have enjoyed more possession, and taken all the shots. Yet they’ve not looked particularly dangerous, and given the form of both teams going into this match, it’ll be England who are happier going into the break. Both teams have higher gears, though.
45 min +1: Williamson clips Williams and there’s time for one last free kick. Coffey hooks it into the mixer. Williams heads harmlessly over, and that’ll be that for the first half.
45 min: There will be one additional minute.
44 min: Coffey sashays from right to left, along the curve of the England D, before unleashing a low swerving shot that Earps handles well.
42 min: Coffey turns up the speed and one-twos with Thompson down the inside-left channel … but again the door slams shut. The hosts will be happy with their defensive shift so far.
40 min: England are sitting back, inviting pressure. To be fair, they’re soaking it up well, offering the USA little space in which to work. Horan buzzes around in the hope of cracking the code, but there’s no way through.
38 min: Williamson’s careless pass out from the back is snaffled by Horan. She’s extremely fortunate that Horan dithers, unsure whether to look for Williams or shoot. The attack breaks down. Williamson clearly having learned little from her error that cost a goal against South Africa.
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36 min: Park picks up possession 25 yards from goal. She considers the shot, but then opts to release Russo down the inside-right channel. She makes the pass, but Girma is on the case and intercepts. For a split second there, the USA looked vulnerable.
34 min: Neither team have particularly impressed in attack so far, but it’s Earps who has had to make two big saves. The USA without their first-choice front line as well. They’re not ranked number one for nothing.
32 min: Thompson dribbles down the left and cuts back for Krueger, who shoots low and hard. Earps parries, but the loose ball falls to Williams. However the US striker can’t get anything meaningful away. Sears recycles possession on the right and crosses deep. Horan attempts a bicycle kick but doesn’t connect and in any case the whistle goes for dangerous play.
31 min: Walsh sprays a delightful crossfield pass towards Bronze on the right wing, but Bronze is quickly surrounded and the chance to advance is gone. Defences very much on top.
29 min: The resulting free kick is hit long, diagonally towards Girma on the right-hand edge of the six-yard box. The ball doesn’t come down quickly enough for Girma to get a shot away. She’s closed down and England clear their lines.
28 min: Thompson dribbles hard down the left, zipping past Naz before being clipped by Walsh. That’s a clever foul, because front on, it’s not enough for a booking, and Sears was in acres on the other flank, waiting for the pass that would have set her free.
26 min: England continue to pass it out from the back, living on the edge, just about beating the press. These must be testing times for those who follow both England women and Southampton men.
24 min: Lavelle, tracking back as England break forward, runs slap-bang into the referee and is furious. Fortunately – for the official, anyway - nothing comes of the counter. This is all a bit scrappy at the moment.
22 min: Bronze advances down the right and is upended by Krueger. Free kick, just outside the box. Everyone gets in it. Greenwood whips the set piece towards Bronze at the back stick, but there’s too much juice on the delivery and the ball sails out of play for a goal kick. Neither attack quite clicking yet.
20 min: England play out from the back. It’s a risky venture, but they evade the US press and Russo scampers into acres of space down the left. She cuts back for Park who doesn’t shoot this time, but isn’t able to get a cross into the box.
18 min: Sears again makes good ground down the right and crosses long. Horan tries to bring the ball down but can’t sort her feet out, allowing Naz to clear. England can’t keep giving Sears so much room out on the right, though.
17 min: Stanway sprays a diagonal pass towards Mead on the left flank. That’s a fine ball to release Mead on the attack. Mead makes it as far as the box before cutting back for Park, who sends a wild shot high and wide right. Mead, still in space and desirous of the return pass, tells it as she sees it. Not happy.
15 min: … so having said that, England do get out, Russo spinning the combative Coffey and drawing a cynical tug on the shirt that earns the US midfielder the first yellow card of the evening. Coffey, bang to rights, doesn’t bother complaining.
14 min: Coffey snaps into a tackle in the centre circle to launch another USA attack. Nothing comes of this phase, but England can’t get out.
13 min: Coffey and Horan exchange passes down the left, forcing Bronze into the concession of a corner. Bronze heads the corner clear, but then Fox picks up possession and tears down the right touchline. Fox’s cross is deflected away from danger … this time. USA enjoying plenty of joy down this right flank already.
12 min: Sears probes down the right again, but this time there’s no way around Greenwood and she walks the ball out for a goal kick.
10 min: Horan is fine to continue. On the touchline, her boss Emma Hayes casually takes a swig from a bottle of fruit squash. Much nicer than that aforementioned flat lager, and isotonic to boot.
8 min: Stanway stands on Horan’s foot. All accidental, but the US captain requires some treatment. The game stops.
7 min: Walsh takes a loose touch 30 yards from her own goal and is extremely fortunate that Horan makes a mess of stealing the ball. Stanway has already been caught snoozing, too. England aren’t being given a moment to rest.
6 min: USA suddenly take it up a notch, Sears bursting into space down the right and crossing low for Thompson, who has time to take a couple of touches before launching a rising shot towards the top right. Earps turns around the post and receives the ovation she deserves for a superb save. Nothing comes of the resulting corner.
4 min: USA stroke it around the back patiently. Everyone sizing things up at the moment. The big crowd bubbling along nicely nonetheless.
2 min: Otherwise, it’s a uneventful start as both teams take turns to get a feel of the ball.
12 secs: Naz makes good down the right but her cross is too high for Russo in the middle. Naeher claims. What a start that could have been!
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After everyone takes a knee of equality, England get the ball rolling. The USA won the anthems, incidentally. By some distance.
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After a laser show that would put Jean-Michel Jarre to shame – an up-to-the-minute reference for all you pop kids out there – the teams emerge from the tunnel. England in white, the USA in second-choice blue and red. An 83,000-strong crackle of anticipation around Wembley. The Americans entertain themselves with an elaborate series of high-fives. Anthems and action to follow.
Sarina Wiegman speaks to ITV. “This is the collaboration I want to see tonight … some little tweaks … I want to see both goalkeepers, I do not want to decide now … last time at Wembley, Hannah Hampton was in goal and now Mary Earps gets her opportunity … Emma Hayes does a tremendous job over there … you absolutely want to beat each other … she will make tweaks so we have to be sharp.”
Hayes smiled broadly through every nanosecond of that interview. She’s clearly enjoying her new role immensely, which should be no surprise given her current 92 percent win ratio. In fact, the only time she wasn’t caught wearing a sunny grin was when ITV showed footage of her pulling a pint in a Camden pub earlier this week for PR purposes, then grimacing as she had a sip of it. To be fair, she’s not a fan of beer, and in any case the ale looked a bit flat.
Emma Hayes, relaxed and jovial, speaks to ITV. “It’s great to be back here … I feel a bit bad always talking about how happy I am! … I needed to slow down … playing different opponents in different stadiums, it feels new and exciting … you feel a little bit like a grandparent! … they come into camp and are all happy to see you … you give them the best time ever … hopefully win a couple of medals … it’s a completely different way of coaching … life is so short and I want to have a good time … I want to be the best coach I can be … I’ve been put on this earth to do the best I can for the women’s game.”
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England make four changes to their starting XI in the wake of the unconvincing 2-1 win over South Africa last month. Lucy Bronze, Jess Carter, Keira Walsh and Alessia Russo take the places of Esme Morgan, Grace Clinton and Chloe Kelly, who drop to the bench, and Maya Le Tissier, who is missing after suffering concussion while playing for Manchester United last weekend.
Seven of today’s USWNT starters played when these teams last met at Wembley in 2022. Alyssa Naeher, Naomi Girma, Emily Fox, Sam Coffey, Rose Lavelle, Alyssa Thompson and captain Lindsey Horan were all on the wrong end of England’s 2-1 win that day. Naeher, Horan and Lavelle are the only players who remain from the USA’s 2-1 victory in the 2019 World Cup semis. The Triple Espresso front line of Sophia Smith, Trinity Rodman and Mallory Swanson – their nickname coined by Rodman live on NBC days before they won Olympic gold - are all out injured.
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The teams
England: Earps, Bronze, Carter, Williamson, Greenwood, Walsh, Naz, Park, Stanway, Mead, Russo.
Subs: Moorhouse, Hampton, Bright, Turner, George, Morgan, Kirby, Mace, Blindkilde, Clinton, Kelly, Beever-Jones.
USA: Naeher, Fox, Krueger, Sonnett, Girma, Coffey, Thompson, Lavelle, Horan, Williams, Sears.
Subs: Haught, Davidson, Gaetino, Malonson, Sams, Albert, Yohannes, Nighswonger, Ryan, Hershfelt, Shaw, Sentnor.
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Preamble
It’s a clash of the titans, as the Lionesses taken on the USWNT at Wembley. England versus the USA. The world number two side versus the world number one. The European champions versus Olympic gold medallists. Sarina Wiegman v Emma Hayes. All perfectly poised, then … except that the USA have won their last nine and are unbeaten in 18, winning the Concacaf Gold Cup, the SheBelieves Cup and the Olympics along the way, while England’s last three matches have been a nervy 0-0 draw in Sweden, a shambolic 3-4 home loss to Germany, and an extremely flattering 2-1 win over South Africa. That draw in Sweden, it must be said, secured Euro 2025 qualification for England, but fair to say one team is currently a lot closer to their best level than the other. A big test for the Lionesses, in other words, against the very best. Kick-off is at 5.20pm GMT. It’s on!
