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Sarina Wiegman, the manager of England, expressed her confidence in her team’s ability to make a remarkable comeback in the second half, which led the Lionesses to a 3-2 victory over the Netherlands in their second-to-last match of the Women’s Nations League at Wembley.
To stay eligible for the top spot in Group A1 and continue in the competition, England had to win their match. This tournament also serves as a qualification for the 2024 Olympics in Paris. However, England fell behind early after Lineth Beerensteyn scored two goals before halftime, giving the Dutch a 2-0 lead.
However, the Lionesses made a comeback after the game resumed on a cold evening in London. Georgia Stanway and Lauren Hemp reignited the crowd’s excitement by the 60-minute mark, and substitute Ella Toone secured a thrilling win in extra time.
According to Wiegman, she remained calm despite the team’s disappointment when the second goal was scored. She felt that the goal was unnecessary and unlucky, and although they didn’t play poorly, they needed to step up their game. However, the team never lost faith and truly believed they could still turn the game around.
During the break, we discussed how the game was far from over and that scoring a goal could potentially make our opponents unstable.
“They faced difficulties in the defense due to our aggressive attacking strategy. We also made some tactical adjustments that needed improvement in our defensive game. We encouraged all players to elevate their performance and contribute more. This was evident in their exhaustion, showing they gave their all on the field.”
England is currently ranked second in their group, tied with the Netherlands and one point ahead of Belgium. Their final group match will be against Scotland at Hampden Park on Tuesday. In the other Group A1 game on Friday, Belgium and Scotland tied 1-1.
England and the Netherlands have an equal head-to-head record. The Netherlands will play against Belgium at home next week and have a goal difference that is three points higher. Meanwhile, England will conclude their group stage with a match against relegated Scotland on Tuesday.
Despite winning, England’s goalkeeper Mary Earps was emotional during her post-match interview as she discussed the two goals that the Lionesses gave up. The second goal, in particular, saw her attempting to save the ball with her glove, but it ended up slipping past her and rolling into the net. This caused Earps to hit the ground in frustration.
Earps praised the resilience of the England team, who needed to win by a margin of two goals in order to claim the top spot in their group. She also commended the impact of the substitutes who helped turn the game around.
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I apologize for the impact my performance had on the team’s outcome this evening.
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I am deeply disappointed by the missed opportunity to achieve a memorable night due to the failure to score the second goal. It will be a regret that lingers for quite some time.
The team’s performance was incredible. The goals were also impressive, and their strategic plays displayed patience, tenacity, and intensity.
As a competitor, I must acknowledge when my performance falls short. I want to apologize to my team and the fans for not meeting their expectations. I take full responsibility for my actions.
Wiegman stated that the apology was completely uncalled for, as she had already spoken to the person in question and did not wish for them to speak in that manner.
“We succeed and fail together as a team. This is an inevitable aspect of the game. It is understandable that she would not want to disappoint the team, as everyone always gives their best effort. The only way to truly let the team down is by not putting in any effort, but we always give our all.”
Everyone rose to the occasion and took action. As a team, we knew we had to step up and I believe we all fulfilled that responsibility.
Source: independent.co.uk
