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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Simon Collings

Sarina Wiegman has key Lionesses dilemma in final World Cup audition

It is 100 days until the Women's World Cup starts, and tonight marks another important step on England's road to the finals.

The Lionesses are facing World Cup co-hosts Australia at Brentford's Gtech Community Stadium and it is the last chance for players to impress before head coach Sarina Wiegman names her squad for the tournament.

Wiegman insisted during February's Arnold Clark Cup, which England won, that she did not know her best XI, but the picture has become clearer since then.

Much of the team to face Haiti on July 22 in England's World Cup opener largely picks itself, especially in defence and midfield.

In attack, however, the competition for places is greater than anywhere else in the squad. Alessia Russo, who scored four goals coming off the bench for England at Euro 2022, is primed to start as the No9, but that is not guaranteed. Rachel Daly's move from left-back to striker has led to her scoring 13 goals in the Women's Super League for Aston Villa this season, with only Manchester City's Khadija Shaw bettering that tally.

Daly is a serious contender to start ahead of Russo and she will get minutes tonight against Australia. It is a headache for Wiegman, albeit one she enjoys, and it is the same when deciding who to pick out wide.

England have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to wingers, so much so they have maintained their 30-game unbeaten run despite Beth Mead being out.

Mead, who was top scorer and player of the tournament at Euro 2022, injured her knee playing for Arsenal in November and Wiegman believes it will take "a miracle" for her to make the World Cup squad.

That leaves Chloe Kelly, Lauren Hemp and Lauren James all vying to start. Sadly for them, two does not go into three and one of them will miss out.

James has impressed in making her case the strongest, despite breaking into the England team only after last summer's Euros.

She is a unique player, offering pace and strength but also close ball control and vision. Captain Leah Williamson has dubbed her a "cheat code".

James has excelled on the right of the attack, filling the void left by Mead, and logic would dictate Hemp would keep her place on the opposite flank. The 22-year-old started every game at Euro 2022 and performed well, but Kelly is breathing down her neck.

The 25-year-old has shown she is a player for big occasions, scoring the winner in the Euro 2022 Final and smashing home the decisive penalty as England won the Finalissima last week.

Kelly has excelled for Manchester City, creating 3.8 chances per 90 minutes in the WSL this season. No player in the women's top-five European leagues can match that.

Wiegman is not planning to make many changes for tonight's game after beating Brazil, but she will be forced into one as centre-back Alex Greenwood is out with concussion. Millie Bright is also absent with a knee issue, so Arsenal's Lotte Wubben-Moy could get a rare start.

She will be charged with stopping Chelsea star Sam Kerr, who is due to start for Australia after being rested for Saturday's 1-0 defeat to Scotland.

Wiegman is expecting a physical game and for Australia to go direct in the hope they can get Kerr in behind the England defence.

Even without Arsenal's Caitlin Foord, who is injured, Australia's biggest weapon is their attack, but the same can be said of the Lionesses.

Few sides at the World Cup can boast the luxury of benching one of James, Hemp or Kelly, but Wiegman faces that dilemma. She will hope tonight makes deciding what to do easier.

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