The Lionesses were starting to look like the team to beat ahead at the summer’s Women’s World Cup after a seemingly unassailable 30-match unbeaten run under manager Sarina Wiegman with four trophies along the way, but the the inevitable defeat has finally arrived.
There’s never a good time for a 30-game unbeaten streak to reach its end, but there are less opportune times and Tuesday’s friendly loss against World Cup co-hosts Australia in the final match before the summer’s showpiece event certainly feels the lesser of any ill-timed evils.
Still, the list of talking points reads long. It was an uncharacteristically lethargic performance from the European champions, even if in the guise of a friendly. It was one punctuated by an atypically flustered Leah Williamson in the backline, the inexperienced Esme Morgan and Jess Carter struggling to deal with Australia’s voracious front duo of Mary Fowler and Chelsea star Sam Kerr, and an attack totally bereft of ideas.
