England Women step up their European Championship preparations tonight as the Netherlands visit Elland Road in a pre-tournament friendly.
Sarina Wiegman has a perfect record in her 12 matches in charge of the Lionesses, including a 20-0 destruction of Lativa and a 10-0 hammering of North Macedonia.
Now though she’s up against the country she played for 104 times and coached to Euro 2017 glory, in what is by far the toughest assignment of her England reign so far.
“It’s a very special game, obviously because I’m from the Netherlands and I worked with that team for many years,” Wiegman said.
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“Now I work for England, so it’s a very special game for me and it’s nice to see the (Netherlands) team again. At the end, it’s just a game, but a special game.”
After facing the Netherlands, England play Switzerland next week before getting their Euros campaign up and running against Austria on July 6.
Date, kick-off time and venue
England vs Netherlands is scheduled for an 8pm BST kick-off time tonight, Friday, June 24, 2022.
Elland Road in Leeds will host the match.
Where to watch England vs Netherlands
TV channel: Tonight’s match will be televised live free-to-air on ITV4, with coverage beginning at 7:15pm.
Live stream: UK viewers will be able to watch the match online via the ITV website or ITV Hub app.
Live blog: You can also follow every kick as it happens with Standard Sport’s live match blog.
England vs Netherlands team news
England will be without Ellen White, after the striker tested positive for Covid and had to leave the camp. It’s uncertain whether she will test negative and recover in time to play a part in the final warm-up match on June 30.
Jess Carter is believed to be fully fit after her injury worries, meaning Wiegman has the other 22 players named in her Euros squad available and in contention to face the Netherlands.
For the visitors, former Arsenal star Danielle van de Donk will be keen to get the chance to prove her fitness. The Lyon midfielder missed seven months of the season with a foot tendon injury, only making her return off the bench in her club’s final match of the campaign.
Elsewhere, Arsenal’s Vivianne Miedema has 92 goals in 108 appearances for her country and will provide a real test for the Lionesses defence should she start as expected.
England’s Euro 2022 squad:
Goalkeepers: Mary Earps (Manchester United), Hannah Hampton (Aston Villa), Ellie Roebuck (Manchester City)
Defenders: Millie Bright (Chelsea), Lucy Bronze (Barcelona), Jess Carter (Chelsea), Rachel Daly (Houston Dash), Alex Greenwood (Manchester City), Demi Stokes (Manchester City), Lotte Wubben-Moy (Arsenal)
Midfielders: Fran Kirby (Chelsea), Jill Scott (Aston Villa, loan from Manchester City), Georgia Stanway (Manchester City), Ella Toone (Manchester United), Keira Walsh (Manchester City), Leah Williamson (Arsenal)
Forwards: Beth England (Chelsea), Lauren Hemp (Manchester City), Chloe Kelly (Manchester City), Beth Mead (Arsenal), Nikita Parris (Arsenal), Alessia Russo (Manchester United), Ellen White (Manchester City)
England vs Netherlands prediction
This is a real step up for the Lionesses and will be a useful indicator of where they are as a team heading into this summer’s Euros.
Wiegman, who has won every match since taking charge of England, will know better than almost anyone the threats that the visitors possess and the Lionesses will be blunted themselves by the absence of White.
It looks set to be a high-quality encounter, with potentially nothing to separate the two sides.
Draw, 1-1.
Head to head (h2h) history and results
England wins: 3
Draws: 3
Netherlands wins: 1
