Lioness Match Reports

England v Germany, International Friendlies,  25.10.24

Hatty Ruddick

In the first friendly of this international break, the two finalists from Euro 2022 meet again at the same stadium of the final. Germany will be hoping for a different result in this rematch. With both teams looking different from this match with retirements and injury, this should be a tough friendly for both sides. Notably, the Lionesses are missing Lauren James and Fran Kirby who have both withdrawn due to injury, and Lotte Wubben-May who cannot be called due to head injury procedure. They are welcoming Anna Moorhouse and Lucy Parker to the senior side. The German side are missing former captain Alexandra Popp who has retired from international duty, are missing Kathy Hendricks due to a minor injury, and have welcomed Lisanne Gräwe and Giovanni Hoffmann to the team. 

What will be interesting for fans of the Lionesses will be the starting 11. Fan favourites such as Mary Earps and Leah Williamson; who have both been prominent international players under Wiegman have not had the start to the season with PSG and Arsenal respectively as they would have liked. As this is a friendly, it will be a chance for Wiegman to start younger, less experienced players such as Anna Moorhouse, Grace Clinton and Jess Park who have all had fantastic seasons so far at club level. 

England starting 11: Hampton, Bronze, Carter, Walsh, Bright, Williamson, Mead, Stanway, Russo, Toone, Hemp

Germany starting 11: Berger, Linder, Minge, Nüsken, Gwinn, Dallmann, Bühl, Senss, Doorsoun, Hoffmann

The game starts after an impressive light and firework show under the lights of Wembley. A slightly surprising starting line up for Wiegman, not playing any newer and younger talent- however this is a replay of an important rival. 

Germany start with possession, however the ball is quickly won by England. A strong run by Hemp brings hope in the first minute, but to no avail. Bright gives away a sloppy penalty in defence and Hampton is put to the test at 2 minutes. A VAR check confirms a penalty and Germany are up in 3 minutes. A deserved yellow card for the Chelsea captain. England 0 - 1 Germany. A great penalty by Gwinn. England respond by winning a free kick, taken by Hemp and cleared by the Germans. The German defence is strong, and England need to pick up confidence. They are relying on Hemp and Russo to make the runs. They need the support of the rest of the team. 

England respond well with a great goal attempt by Russo at 10 minutes, that is called offside. A VAR check confirms. But the confidence is there. Less than a minute later, Gwinn proves who is dominant in this game with a second goal for Germany. England 0 - 2 Germany. Alessia Russo tries to pull this game back with another great attempt that hits the post. Slowing down the game, medics come on for Gwinn at 13 minutes. This hopefully gives England the chance to reset. Play continues after 1 minute with Gwinn on the sidelines for 1 minute. Germany try to make it a third at 16 minutes until they are called offside. 

Russo tries to save the game and head the ball in at 18 minutes but goes wide. Corner  for England and again the attempt goes wide. England are not finding the spaces there in the penalty area. While they are dominating possession, they need to turn this possession into attempts. Corner for Germany at 21 minutes. Cleared by Russo. England are flacking in energy. Wiegman needs to make changes. This squad are heavily involved in WSL and champions league games at the moment and need a burst of energy. Greenwood, Clinton, Park and Earps must be considerations for the second half. Germany make it 3. Bühl has a great goal. England 0 - 3 Germany. Mary Earps needs to come on, as does Greenwood instead of Hampton and Williamson. But Bright's yellow card must be considered. A VAR check happens for a penalty in England's favour for a foul on Hemp. The penalty is awarded. Stanway takes the penalty. Finally, a goal for England. England 1 - 3 Germany. 

England have their confidence and take their second. Stanway makes it England 2 - 3 Germany. She is proving herself against her club team mates. Finally the home side are playing like the European champions. Hemp proves why she is a Ballon D'Or nominee with a great run and almost assist to Russo, who goes wide. She makes another attempt straight into Berger's hands. Stanway tries to equalise, but goes wide. The confidence is there and this is now an exciting game. 

Williamson is picking up her defence, as is Hampton, clearing a potential German fourth in the final minutes of this half. Saying this, Williamson needs to be careful as she pushes over her opponent and gives away a free kick. She redeems herself in defence a moment later. Before the 5 minutes of added time is called, Hemp is playing beautifully and is creating strong chances for England. Corner for England. Cleared by Germany who's attempt 1 minute later is wide. German corner. Cleared by Russo. Hampton lowers the blood pressure of the home side by clearing an attempt in the final moments of the half. German corner. Cleared by Toone. 

Player of the first half for the Germans is Gwinn. England is Stanway, however Russo is a strong contender. England 2 - 3 Germany. At half time, England need to re-group and think about changes. Germany could consider changes, but did have a strong half. An exciting 50 minutes that really was a 5 goal thriller. 

Half time changes. Toone off for Park. Hoffman off for Cerci. Linder off for Rauch. 

England start the half with two weak attempts, but the want and energy is there. They need to continue this. Hemp makes a fantastic run at 49 minutes, but nobody us there to help her convert to a goal. The Lionesses need to find the spaces. Germany take advantage of this and take their chance. They score, but luckily for the home side, it is called offside. This needs to be a warning to England. Russo responds by trying to equalise, but goes wide. Corner for England. Cleared. 

While England are dominating possession, Germany are being strategic in their play. Hampton does well to prevent the fourth, especially on the attempt at 58 minutes, which would of been a beautiful goal for the away side. 

Change for England. Williamson off, Greenwood on. This is a strong change, especially as Williamson as good as she is, has been recovering from injury. 

Changes for Germany. Gwinn off for Walter. Nüsken off for Däbritz. This will be great news to England as both players to leave the field are also Ballon D'Or nominees and have had great impact on this game. This is proved as the next German attempt is too high. Mead clears both corners. 

Germany are making attempt after attempt. England need to bring this ball up the pitch. 

Change for Germany. Doorsoun off for Kleinherne. 

German free kick. This ends in a fall where two players are on top of each other and a German penalty. Russo was on top of the player, earning the German penalty. Giving Germany their fourth. Scored by Däbritz.

England 2 - 4 Germany.

Russo comes off for Kelly. Kelly needs a repeat of her famous Euros goal against Germany. The current only positive for England fans is that this is a friendly. Bronze clears a potential fifth goal for Germany. 

Hemp finally gets her goal, which is a stunning one. However, it is called offside. This is questioned by players, but no VAR. 

Medics are on for Germany as Senss goes down. She is quickly back up. Soon after, Mead is down. England free kick. A goal for England after a very lazy defence from Germany. Bronze gets her goal. 

England 3 - 4 Germany. 

Mead and Bronze off for Naz and Le Tissier. Bühl off for Endemann. 

Hampton stops the fifth goal well after the changes. And Greenwood also does well in her defence. They will need to repeat this for the German free kick at 84 minutes and Greenwood saves England from the fifth. German corner, cleared by Bright. Jess Naz makes an impact, with a strong attempt, ultimately saved by Berger. 

6 minutes of additional time is music to the home side. This is not over. Naz wins a deserved free kick as she is pushed over. Yellow for Klienherne. The equaliser is prevented by German defence. Carter wins a second free kick. Corner for England. Hemp kicks it straight into Berger's hands, who goes down. Play continues. Greenwood has been a real game changer tonight. There is an argument that she should of started. There are real lessons to learn tonight with England having lost this game due to giving away penalties. 

England 3 - 4 Germany. 

Tonight was simply not England's night. It is vital that Wiegman changes this line up for Tuesday's match against South Africa. Wiegman has been very loyal to the Euros 2022 squad, however on Tuesday the following players should be starting: Greenwood, Clinton, Park, Naz and Moorhouse. These are the games to bring in players that do not normally start and to experiment. If England want to win the Euros next year, these games need to be used to try out a new squad. Tonight's squad did not work tonight. The second half was chaos, and this was not a team that is looking to win an international championship. 

England v France, Euros Qualifiers, 31.05.25

Hatty Ruddick

In this Euros 2025 qualifier, England face new rivals France. England have not played the Les Bleus since Wiegman's takeover. The current champions face a tough side tonight in Newcastle who are hungry for the ball and not afraid to be aggressive in both their defence and attack. The Lionesses need to prove themselves tonight especially being hit by injuries in this camp of Lauren James, Lotte Wubbon-Moy, Niamh Charles and Kayla Rendell.

England Starting 11: Earps, Williamson (C), Bright, Carter, Bronze, Walsh, Stanway, Hemp, Toone, Mead, Russo.

France Starting 11: Peyrard-Magnin, Lakrar, Renard, De Almeida, Bacha, Toletti, Karchaoui, Diani, Delphine Cascarino, Dali, Katoto

First Half

The match kicked off with immediate action as France launched a swift attempt, blocked within the first minute. England's goalkeeper Mary Earps went down, necessitating medical attention. After a tense few moments, Earps resumed play by the 3rd minute, only to face another French corner which was headed out.

By the 4th minute, France had another attempt that sailed over the post. However, Earps was down again at the 5th minute and had to be substituted, with Hannah Hampton stepping in. England responded quickly, pressing towards the French goal.

England's first significant opportunity came with a free kick at the 12th minute, which was saved by a French header. The physicality of the game increased, with France playing rough and delivering several knocks to the English side. England continued to press, earning free kicks at the 15th and 17th minutes.

Lucy Bronze made an impressive run at the 20th minute, culminating in a goal attempt. Moments later, Ella Toone's effort at the 22nd minute went wide. Millie Bright showcased solid defensive work for England, while Alessia Russo's shot at the 27th minute also missed the mark. England's attacking strategy seemed rushed and lacked precision.

The breakthrough came at the 29th minute when Beth Mead scored, putting England ahead 1-0. Shortly after, France's Bacha went down but quickly recovered. France won a free kick at the 31st minute but was continuously thwarted by England's robust defense. Hampton made a crucial save at the 33rd minute from another French attempt.

France demonstrated their tactical prowess, and by the 38th minute, another attempt went over the top. Their persistence paid off at the 40th minute when De Almeida scored from a corner, leveling the match at 1-1.

Lauren Hemp's run towards the French goal at the 41st minute was interrupted by a rough challenge. England appeared to be panicking as the first half drew to a close, needing to settle and focus on converting their attempts. The referee added five minutes of stoppage time, during which Jess Carter received a yellow card at 45 +1. Beth Mead's effort at +3 earned England a corner, followed by another attempt from Russo at +4.

The first half concluded with both teams locked at 1-1, setting the stage for an exciting second half.

Second Half

The second half started with an early missed attempt by England. Lauren Hemp had a promising shot at the 57th minute, but it was saved by the French goalkeeper. Ella Toone went down after a clash with the French defense but quickly recovered.

Lucy Bronze's attempt at the 65th minute missed the target, leading to a French corner. From the resulting set piece, Katoto scored, putting France ahead 2-1. France then made a substitution, bringing on Henry for Cascarino. A minute later, Lakrar received a yellow card for a foul.

England's struggles continued as they missed further attempts at the 71st and 75th minutes. Despite their efforts, the French defense remained strong and composed. England made substitutions, with Stanway and Mead making way for Kirby and Kelly.

As the match progressed, England appeared increasingly frantic in their attempts to equalize. At the 83rd minute, De Almeida went down with a suspected head injury, prompting the medics to prepare, although they did not come onto the pitch. She was substituted off at the 85th minute, with Perisset coming on.

Both Bronze and Kelly missed opportunities at the 86th minute. The referee added five minutes of stoppage time. In the 90th minute, France made further substitutions, with Katoto and Dali being replaced by Ribadeira and Le Garrec. Despite England's desperate attacks, the French goalkeeper managed the situation well, taking their time to see out the match.

The game ended with France securing a 2-1 victory over England, leaving the English side to reflect on their missed opportunities and the need for more composure in future matches.

This leaves England 3rd in the table in the Euros qualifying group. The current European champions have a lot of work to do on Tuesday again against France. 

Republic of Ireland v England, Euros Qualifiers, 19.04.24

Hatty Ruddick

England Starting 11: Hannah Hampton, Lucy Bronze, Jess Carter, Kiera Walsh, Leah Williamson (C), Alex Greenwood, Lauren James, Jess Park, Alessia Russo, Ella Toone, Lauren Hemp. 5 changes from the Sweden game.

Ireland Starting 11: Courtney Brosnan, Louise Quinn, Caitlin Hayes, Ruesha Littlejohn, Denise O'Sullivan, Katie McCabe (C), Anna Patten, Aoife Mannion, Heather Payne, Lucy Quinn, Kyra Carusa. 2 changes from the France game.

Pre-match thoughts: The return of Leah Williamson and a game for Hannah Hampton brings a highly anticipated match; the first meeting between the neighbours since 1986. England need to improve from Friday and must secure a win. The Lionesses must be more patient and less sloppy on the ball. It is expected that England will dominate the ball tonight and will be hungry for a win. However, this is a strong Ireland side, at home, with many players that the England team are familiar with; particularly captain Katie McCabe. They are coming out of their first world cup who will be looking to qualify for the Euros. Hopefully Williamson will bring the Euros 2022 spirit back to the Lioness squad- less sloppy, more patient, more focus, less silly mistakes. This is a must win tonight for qualification.

First half: 

In a thrilling encounter between Ireland and England, the first 45 minutes have provided plenty of action and drama. Right from the kick-off, both teams showcased their intent, but it's England who have stamped their authority on the match early on.

Ireland wasted no time in announcing their presence, winning a corner within the first two minutes, courtesy of Gunner Katie McCabe's relentless drive. However, their hopes were thwarted as Hannah Hampton, England's vigilant goalkeeper, expertly denied the attempt, triggered by Jess Carter's conceding foul.

The energy and aggression displayed by Ireland were evident, but it was England who displayed greater composure and calculation. Lauren Hemp's dominance on the left side forced Ireland into defensive actions, with Quinn conceding a corner that kept Ireland's defense on their toes.

The first clear chance at goal came in the 7th minute, with Russo's header testing Brosnan in the Irish goal. McCabe, pulled higher than her usual position, tried to stifle the opportunity, highlighting Ireland's defensive adjustments.

Despite Ireland's efforts, England's calculated approach paid dividends as Lauren James broke the deadlock in the 11th minute, putting England ahead 1-0. Ireland's defense was breached again just moments later, with Aoife Mannon conceding a corner, but Denise O'Sullivan's block prevented further damage.

The pressure mounted on Ireland as they conceded a penalty in the 16th minute due to a handball by Ruesha Littlejohn. Alex Greenwood calmly converted the spot-kick, doubling England's lead to 2-0.

England continued to pile on the pressure, exploiting gaps in Ireland's defense and dominating possession. Although Lauren James was caught offside a couple of times, her impact on the game was undeniable, showcasing England's calculated approach.

A controversial second penalty was awarded to England, raising eyebrows as Louise Quinn's handball seemed unintentional. This was a harsh penalty to give. However, Greenwood's miss from the spot brought relief to the Irish faithful.

Ireland made tactical adjustments, pushing Lucy Quinn higher up the pitch to apply more pressure on England and minimise turnovers. Despite England's relentless attacks, Ireland's defense, led by Brosnan, held firm, thwarting attempts from James and Bronze.

As the first half drew to a close, Kiera Walsh's unnecessary concession of a corner summed up England's frustrations in their struggle to extend their lead. At halftime, England leads 2-0, but Ireland remains hopeful of a comeback with adjustments likely to be made during the break.

Half-time: By no means has this been an easy first half for England, however Ireland have been sloppy and given away the ball when they had the opportunity to create chances. The Lionesses are showing a significant improvement from Friday night with cool, calm and collected play. The stand-out players so far have been Lauren James who is redeeming herself enormously illustrating her skill and why she has the chance to be the best in the Womens' game, Hannah Hampton who is proving why she is the Chelsea starter and Leah Williamson who has been fantastic in midfield. It is lovely to see her back!

Second half: 

In a gripping second half, England maintained their dominance against Ireland, securing a well-deserved victory in the qualifiers. Despite some spirited play from the Irish side, England's strategic substitutions and solid defense ensured they finished second in the table with a clean sheet for goalkeeper Hannah Hampton.

The second half began with no changes for England, while Ireland made a tactical substitution, bringing Connolly on for Littlejohn. However, the game saw a brief halt as Lauren James received treatment after a challenge from Katie McCabe. Thankfully, James resumed play after the referee's assurance of her well-being.

Although Ireland applied more pressure in the second half, England managed to navigate through it, retaining their control over the ball. The European champions continued to dominate possession, with Fran Kirby and Beth Mead, who came on as substitutes, rising to the challenge by thwarting Ireland's attempts.

England made further changes, with Jess Park and Lauren Hemp making way for Kirby and Mead. The newcomers swiftly adapted to the pace of the game, effectively blocking Ireland's chances. Fran Kirby showcased her tactical prowess, guiding England's gameplay and ensuring their stronghold in the match.

As the game progressed, both teams made additional substitutions to bolster their gameplay. Despite Ireland's improved performance, England remained vigilant in defense, with Kiera Walsh leading the charge. Hannah Hampton's crucial saves kept Ireland at bay, preserving England's lead.

England's offensive efforts continued, with Ella Toone and Chloe Kelly almost finding the back of the net. However, Ireland's resilient defense, led by McCabe, stood firm, forcing corners but failing to breach England's defense.

The final minutes saw England making strategic changes, aiming to maintain their lead and finish the game strong. Katie McCabe received a yellow card for a foul against Rachel Daly, her first of the competition. Despite a late surge from Ireland, England held their ground, securing the win and a clean sheet for Hampton.

In the end, England emerged victorious, finishing second in the table with an impressive display of skill and determination. As this international break of qualifiers concludes, England looks forward to taking their qualification further with their sights set on future success.

End of match thoughts: England proved themselves after Friday's match with Sweden. They were strategic, calculated, calm and quick. With the exception of the last 20 minutes where Ireland found their flow, England's performance was incredibly strong. The rotations were well though out from Wiegman giving many players an opportunity to start and to play. Stand out players in the match were Hannah Hampton, Lauren James, Leah Williamson and Kiera Walsh. Ireland's performance was a good shift put in during the second half, particularly from the substitutes, but ultimately leave them bottom of the table. 

Statistics:

Possession: IRE 30.4% - 69.6% ENG

Shots: IRE 5 - 13 ENG

Shots on target: IRE 3 - 5 ENG

Corners Won: IRE 5 - 2 ENG

Fouls conceded: IRE 10 - 3 ENG

England vs Sweden, Euros Qualifiers, 07.04.24

Hatty Ruddick

Pre-Match

Looking to have a repeat performance from their Euros 2022 performance with the famous Russo backheel finish for 4-0 in the Euros Semi-Final, which was the last time that the Lionesses faced Sweden, the Kiera Walsh led starting 11 of Earps, Bronze, Charles, Walsh, Wubben-Moy, Greenwood, James; the only change from the Italy starting 11, Stanway, Russo, Clinton and Hemp train with the highly anticipated BSL alphabet training shirts; strengthening the connection between the England Womens' Seniors and the England Womens' Deaf Team. The 4-3-3 starting line-up does not feature Williamson, who is starting on the bench on her first call-up since her ACL injury last April and her hamstring injury earlier this year. A strong team to help start this campaign with Grace Clinton who is being watched closely after her exciting Senior start earlier this year. While I am watching from home, the ground is said to have 63,000 fans in; which considering how late the draw was and that Guns N Roses are also playing in London tonight, is not a bad number. 

The Lionesses are set to face a Swedish side that WSL fans are familiar with tonight with Falk, Lundkvist, Sembrant, Eriksson, Andersson, Angeldahl, Asllani (C), Zigiotti Olme, Rytting Kaneryd (March WSL Player of the Month Nominee), Blackstenius (Conti Cup Final Scorer) and Rolfö. This proves to be a tough team who came 3rd in the World cup. There are a lot of dangerous players in this Swedish squad- particularly Rolfö; current Champion's League holder, and Blackstenius; a player a lot of the Lionesses know well from Arsenal or from losing the Conti Cup because of her last weekend- however England are the current world number 2s, with Sweden being the world's 6th best.

The qualifying group for the Euros has been highly referred to as the 'Group of Death' on social media with France (World 3), Sweden and the Republic of Ireland (World 25). This is very different from our 2022 qualifying campaign, with a significant increase in coverage and public interest. It is vital for the Lionesses to start this campaign positively tonight, particularly after failing to qualify for the olympics this summer. 

First Half

Starting their Euros 2025 tournament where the tournament of dreams for England fans finished so well in 2022, a Mary Earps save 1 minute in, England are looking to take over Sweden's possession in the first few minutes. The defence of Niamh Charles from Blackstenuis produced the first corner 3 minutes in from Andersson going into the post. An early foul from Erikkson to Russo brought medics onto the field with an ankle injury giving  a free kick from Greenwood, with Clinton missing the goal wide, but absolutely close to target. Alessia Russo returns to the pitch 5 minutes after her injury, with 30 seconds later Clinton going down, with little interruption to the game. At 14 minutes, we start to see some excellent play from England with a run from Walsh and Hemp getting close to making an attempt, to later show some out of position defending from Bronze. James' first impact on the game brought a run and pass to Hemp to an on-target attempt which was saved by Falk. Greenwood found multiple small pockets of play which allowed Clinton to win England a foul, bringing an increase to England's possession. 

At the first quarters close there is not much between the sides, while Sweden started strong, England have developed into the game with 60% to 40% and one attempt for England and two for Sweden. 

An England corner taken by Greenwood brought Charles being very close to taking an attempt with pressure building against Sweden. A minute later at 23 minutes, Russo scored with an assist from James from a beautiful 1 v 1. Great patience and set piece work from England. Lessi just loves a goal against the Swedish, doesn't she?

23 minutes ENG 1 - 0 SWE. Russo

This goal quickly followed by a great long run from Hemp, going to a shot from Stanway that went too far. At 28 minutes Mary Earps got us out of danger, moved out of the box and stopped the threat. Great foresight there from our number 1. Moments later another attempt was saved from Earps, which perfectly was timed by an off-side call. The defence in the last few minutes from England has been impressive, but it is clear that Sweden are not giving up in their attacks. Earps is clear of this fact and is really stepping up to prove why she is the SPOTY and the golden glove holder. Both Bronze and Kaneryd go down at 33 minutes from jumping into each other, but both are quickly up. Soon after Manchester City's Angeldahl shoots and goes too high, but was not far off. What has been clear in this half is how familiar these players are with each other, many having been on the same club teams or having played against each other often. A Swedish corner at 36 minutes was out of the penalty zone quickly, however did result in a following Swedish corner less than a minute later and was cleared away by Walsh. Sweden continue to build the pressure, however the defence from the home side remains strong. Grace Clinton is once again proving herself and her skills in attacking with her continuously bringing the ball to the England goal and supporting Russo and Stanway in their attacks. Hemp has been strong in this half, using her knowledge of Angeldahl's play and moving into defence to help against the Swedish blue, while still being able to move the ball forward to allow England a chance. 

3 minutes added into the first half, which doesn't seem enough for the amount of time that Russo was being treated on pitch, however this does play into England's hands at the moment. 

Stats at Half-time

ENG 1 - 0 SWE

Possession ENG 65.5% - 34.5% SWE

Shots ENG 4 - 7 SWE

Shots on target ENG 1 - 0 SWE

Corners Won ENG 1 - 3 SWE

Fouls Conceded ENG 1 - 6 SWE

My opinion of player of the first half has to be Russo for her goal, but Hemp had fantastic cross-pitch play, Clinton's still proving why she is in this starting 11, and Wubben-Moy and Greenwood's defence is strong. Earps has been fantastic in the first half. Let's continue- because this Sweden side are hungry and it is clear! James has been strong when she had the ball, but does need to get onto the ball more and remind us why she was our star of the World Cup! The swap of position between James and Hemp in the first half proved successful- I hope it does continue. Passes need to be stronger and the back three need to continue with their concentration. It is important to remember that this is the first game of the campaign, England need to remain strong and keep the Swedes at bay.

Second Half

No changes to the line-up for either side. The second half starts with the ball being given away a bit too easily from England to Sweden. We need to get into this second half and finish strong. Hemp is showing strong defence in these first 5 minutes of the second half. Wubben-Moy is helping with defence against Gunners team mate Blackstenuis, with a corner at 53 not turning into a shot. 56 minutes brought the first change. Ella Toone is brought on for on loan Red Devil Grace Clinton who has had an impressive start to her senior career. Soon after Hemp goes to take a corner for England with James being strong in her receive, creating a second corner in one minute for Greenwood, leading a very close call for England with a won header but a save from Falk. A corner from Sweden proved dangerous for England, with a strong defence once again from Hemp. Swedes call for a handball, but it is not called. There is no VAR at this match, so we are going on the ref. The replay proves that the ball hit Hemp's shoulder very clearly. 

Changes for Sweden. Anderrson off, Niden on. Asllani off, Kafaji on. 

James gives a shot but goes too high with her leaning back a bit too far. Beth Mead is exciting fans by talking strategy looking like she is about to come on. And just in time as Sweden equalise at 63 minutes by Rolfö assisted by Kafaji. England lost concentration, and we need to get it back quickly. 

James comes off for Mead to help bring us back at 67. 

At 68, Angeldahl is down, but quickly up, great news for Sweden as she has been a sound player tonight in the Swedish midfield. 72 minutes brings an almost first assist for Mead who passes it to Hemp, with her just missing the ball giving a goal kick to Sweden. Moments later Toone missed her chance to shoot and opted for a pass, giving the ball away to Sweden instead of intended Manchester rival Lauren Hemp. 

Change for Sweden. Angeldahl off, Rubensson on. 

Hemp getting into trouble leads to a battle between the Gunners Wubben-Moy and Blackstenuis, with the Conti Cup hero not producing a goal from this battle. 

Changes for England just after a great save from Earps. Scorer Russo off. Euros Winner Kelly on. Charles off, Chelsea team mate Carter on. 

A chance is created for England, and then Bronze narrowly misses the ball and her chance to shoot. As we enter the last 10 minutes, Sweden are starting to look more confident in their play just as Blackstenuis looses her football boot in a battle with Lotte. Toone is starting to show how she is putting the pressure on Sweden with an impressive run at the ball just before Hemp sends the ball to a goal kick. 

Change for Sweden Roflo off. Blackstenuis off. Janogy on. Anvegard on. 

Walsh had two shots on goal at 87, giving a corner and missed attempt by Mead. A second corner given and missed chance. The ball stays in England's penalty area, with 3 extra minutes England are now playing with urgency. Mead has an attempt flying straight into Falk's hands. 

Full time brings a point to both teams. 

Full-time stats

Possession ENG 64.2% - 35.8% SWE

Shots ENG 12 - 11 SWE

Shots on target ENG 5 - 1 SWE

Corners won ENG 5 - 5 SWE

Fouls Conceded ENG 2 - 9 SWE

Lots of strong points for England in the opening game of the qualifiers, but a lot to learn. We can be a lot tighter on our passes, we can keep our concentration and pre-plan passes earlier. We were not as tight as we could of been, and at times sloppy. The concentration was not there and there must be higher expectations next week. Overall for me the player of the match is Hemp. Strong overall in defence and in attacks.